BEAUTY

How two cousins brought hair accessory HairGemⓇ to the market

Ever felt like your hair looks a mess and you can't do anything with it? Need it neat and tidy with a stylish twist for work, an event or just to boost your self-esteem?

The effortless HairGem Ⓡ was invented and brought to the market by cousins Tammy Rutherford and Karen Marshall - and is the perfect solution.

This beautiful accessory, suitable for women of all ages, has been made in the UK since 1995. From a base in Northampton, Karen and Tammy have taken beaded and textile HairGems to major events around the country and given it a home online.

Easy to use, their 'how-to' video tutorials, which demonstrate just how quickly the accessory can transform a look, have taken social media channels by storm. They even caught the eye of Dragons' Den investor Theo Paphitis, who recognised the products through the prestigious SBS awards scheme.

We interviewed Karen to find out more. A stalwart of trade shows, she is recognised across the haircare industry as the promoter of the original double comb hair accessory.

So, how did Tammy and Karen come to invent the HairGem Ⓡ more century ago? Karen said: than a quarter of a "We wanted to create a hair clip along the lines of a claw clip, with the same strength and versatility, but with some kind of design and colour between the combs.

"We initially started with fabric designs, then experimented with beaded designs. "

"Customers love the colours and designs that can match up with outfits, cheer up a dull day or hairstyle!" she said. "HairGems are strong and hold up-dos, ponytails or buns all day, every day. "

Do people use the HairGem to keep their hair up during exercise and swimming, and do you have accessories suitable for weddings?"

Karen said: "Yes! We've received many photographs of ladies on holiday with their HairGems, wearing them in the pool and also showing how comfortable they are to lie down with compared to the claw clip. Great for exercise, yoga, running, etc. " Tell us a bit about your collections.

Karen added: "There's an amazing selection of fabric HairGems to choose from. Also various colour design beaded ones. There are fascinator-style double comb HairGems and diamanté styles too. "

HairGems start from just £10 and are available from Etsy and direct from online shop Hair Gem.

You can also follow HairGem on Twitter.

Regime Skin Care, which publishes the UK's free skincare and makeup magazine, REGIME, has launched an online beauty club.

Regime Skin Care launches new online beauty forum

Regime Beauty Club is officially launching in January 2023 but is operational now.

Free to join, the club is an exclusive space for anyone interested in cosmetics. It is where you can discuss products, ask and answer questions and make friends.

The

club categories: currently has four discussion

General Makeup General Skincare Beauty Questions and Answers Eyeshadow Addicts

It has plans to introduce additional categories, including a section dedicated to those going through cancer treatments.

As well as being able to publish posts and comments, members can follow one another, earn badges and get the heads up on what's hot and what's not. With easy sign-up and login, the club is open to everyone. It also has built-in security measures to keep everyone safe.

Belinda Bennett, the founder of Regime Skin Care, a non-profit making hub for beauty publications and content, says she hopes the club will encourage people to talk about products and to share their experiences.

"The ability to ask questions in a supportive environment is quite a valuable tool - especially if you are a fan of makeup or are fastidious about skincare, " she said. How the Club Works

One you sign up to become a member, you can post product reviews, share tips and ask questions. You can also share images of your recent beauty purchases or the looks you have created.

You can also follow other members and grow your connections with people interested in beauty.

This is an inclusive club, and every member will be made to feel welcome.

Regime Beauty Club is suitable for people with all levels of makeup and skincare knowledge - from beginners to advanced.

"I wanted to create a space where everyone is welcome. The aim is to give community members power as consumers to share their views on products, offer tips and make new friends.

"It is also about supporting each other and empowering people to feel not just beautiful but confident too. "

One of the drivers for the club was Belinda's fascination with eyeshadow. She collects palettes but doesn't know anyone else with the same interest in the UK. Sign up for free here.

Being conned is a gut-churning experience. It's a fast track to selfloathing and strife nobody wants in their life. That is why we want to highlight fake beauty product deals to help stop you from becoming a victim.

Most of us have had that sinking feeling over a purchase. That realisation that 'something isn't quite right' is often followed by a sense of panic.

Maybe, you placed an order and never received a confirmation email. Or, perhaps, that item you purchased a month ago still hasn't arrived. Maybe, you've been charged twice.

Being ripped off can leave you feeling depressed, angry and really disappointed especially if the product you thought you were buying was a gift or something you have wanted for a while.

How to spot fake online deals during the January Sales

The best way to avoid being scammed and putting yourself through a shed-load of turmoil is to learn how to recognise a potential fraud when you see one.

It is often easier said than done, with more and more scammers finding ways to reach beauty lovers through trusted channels.

Try to remember the points we raise in this feature because they could save you hard cash the next time you spot an 'unmissable' makeup or skincare offer.

Online Beauty Scams

Remember that beauty advent chest that took your fancy a year ago? It was sparkly, big and filled with high-end cosmetics. Christ, it even came with diamond-cut knobs. You really wanted it, but it was way too expensive. Like, £200 expensive.

Wait up! One year on and the exact same chest, filled with the exact same premium beauty products, is on sale - for £29.99.

Too good to be true? Almost certainly.

This isn't a made-up story. Last year's advent offering from Charlotte Tilbury has been advertised on Facebook for under £30 and there's even free postage if you order two or more. As if... The seller, a completely unknown brand, claims to be a foreign manufacturer with surplus stock.

In the comments below the ad are two or three images of the chest in people's homes, on kitchen tables and a windowsill, accompanied by rave views. 'Exactly as advertised. ' 'Can't wait to open. ' 'Arrived really quickly. '

But keep going down the list of 'All Comments' (not 'Relevant Comments') and you will start to see a completely different picture. The positive feedback has almost exclusively been left by alleged customers in far-flung corners of the globe. Not one is from the UK.

What you will find posted from the UK are 'Hasn't arrived yet' and 'Why don't you accept PayPal?' .

Most con artists will want you to impart your bank details or wire money to them. They won't want to use PayPal because it has builtin security and money-back features. Requests for payment via a money transfer are a huge red flag. Don't do it - e-v-e-r!

As well as not receiving what you ordered, you could end up losing way more than the price of that fake beauty product deal.

Even if an offer like this does lead to a delivery, it may not be exactly what you bargained for. The products could be fake and dangerous. You could receive an empty box or something worth far less than the £29.99 you paid.

The beauty product deal we have highlighted above could be genuine, but we seriously doubt it. You know what they say... If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Other beauty product scams to be aware of include:

Counterfeit products Bait and switch cons Fraudsters posing as well-known brands or official retailers of branded products

Online Fraud

When the Shieldpay Fraud Tracker was launched, it reported that one in four Brits had fallen victim to online fraud. That was in 2018 when online shopping was nowhere near as popular as it is now.

Today, in part thanks to Covid-19, we take buying online with a pinch of salt; it is an everyday thing for many of us. It is easy to forget that not every deal you see online is genuine.

While banks have made massive strides in detecting fraud, they can't protect against every scam. And the chances of you getting back all your money after being conned are relatively small if you have willingly transferred cash or given out your bank details.

The Crime Survey for England and Wales

reported that there were an

estimated 3,863,000 fraud offences against adults in England and Wales in the year ending June 2019. That's just the frauds people reported.

While the survey did not specify how many of the offences were committed online, the eyewatering figure does give you an idea of the scale of fraud. It's huge. Take Five is a brilliant national campaign that aims to educate consumers, so they don't fall victim to a scam. It covers a wide range of topics - from identity theft to pay upfront fraud. It's worth giving their website a visit.

Top Online Safety Tips

Here's our brief guide to avoiding scams:

1.

2.

3.

4. 5. Buy from trusted brands and websites, such as Amazon, Revolution Beauty, Boots and Superdrug. Don't forget to support small UK-based businesses with good feedback too Don't be tempted to fall for too-good-to-betrue offers Check out a brand's website before buying. Look for reviews via TrustPilot and make sure the website is secure and not a copy of a genuine site Be aware of a seller's returns policy Never pay by bank transfer

If you think you have been the victim of a scam, contact Action Fraud.

Find yourself doubting a deal? Listen to that voice in your head that is asking: 'Is this a scam?' And convince yourself it is.

Need help with eyebrow shaping and don't want to use tweezers?

Belinda Bennett shares the 'no tweezers' way to get neat eyebrows

You would think, being an eyeshadow addict, that I'd be rather particular about my eyebrows. Truth is, I only started to obsess over them last year.

It dawned on me that, despite being a tweezer-phobic, neatly shaped brows are an absolute must.

They frame the face and not only make eyeshadow pop but much easier to apply too.

The shape of the brow can define your features and even lift your face. But it can be tough to shape your eyebrows if you wince at the thought of plucking or threading and don't want to go to the expense of lamination. So, how do you shape your eyebrows using simple products?

Outline and Fill in the Brows

You can do this with either a gel pen, pencil or powder. It is OK to leave the odd stray hair out of the shape - they will barely be noticeable when you have finished, especially if you will be using eyeshadow primer or concealer in your make-up routine.

It is easier to follow the natural curve of your brows but if you want to emphasise the arch or make your brows bushier, for example, you can use a stencil to get a clearly defined shape.

When using a pen or pencil, use strokes that follow the natural direction of the hairs. So, for the inner brows, you would use upward strokes and then gradually slant outwards as you move towards the middle.

The brows can slant downwards at the outer end but, if you have mature skin, try to keep them in a slightly upward direction to avoid ageing your face.

Further Define the Shape

Reel in those stay hairs with a spoolie brush and get the direction just right.

Make sure your spoolie is clean so there is no product transfer onto your eyebrows.

Flatten Brows with Styling Soap

A great alterative to lamination, styling soap gives brows a sleek finish. It's cheap too under £4.

Easy to use, this product is

inexpensive, it is also long-lasting. not just

Simply roll your spoolie in the soap and gently apply to the brows. You can use styling soap to further shape eyebrows, give them more volume and ensure the finish is smooth.

Always use a transparent product for best results and go for one made with natural ingredients to avoid irritation.

Set your brows in place with a fixing spray. Techniques to Avoid

Never be tempted to have tattooed eyebrows. Even if you have no eyebrows, tattoos are permanent - and trends change. It is safer and easier to create realistic looking brows with cosmetics, especially ones that offer two-tone colour to promote a natural-looking finish. Some brow pens, for example, come with a gel finisher which is applied with a mascara wand.

A great alterative to lamination, styling soap gives brows a sleek finish. It's cheap too - under £4.

Eyebrow lamination, sometimes called an eyebrow lift, is popular, but not suitable for everyone. It is not recommended for those with weakened immune systems. A side effect can be skin irritation and, for some, this can pose an infection risk.

Included in nearly all make-up brush sets, the humble spoolie is often left unused.

But this brush, available in straight or angled formats, is probably more useful than you realise.

So, let's take a look at what it can do for your beauty routine. Note: It can also be used to remove nail polish.

Remove Clumps of Mascara

Sadly, nearly all mascaras can blob - even expensive ones. The trick is knowing how to remove excess product to reveal full, beautifully separated lashes.

If you are often left frustrated by blobs of black gunge on your lashes, reach for a spoolie brush. Use a clean brush to separate lashes and remove those clumps. Most styling soaps come with a small brush but, if they are loose, are easily lost. So, having a spare spoolie is an absolute must.

A spoolie can be used with brow pens and pencils too. It makes sure your brows are groomed to perfection - with hairs separated and teased to the right angle.

We've all got at least one, but what do you do with a spoolie?

This brush is especially useful for removing clumped mascara from the lower lashes.

To ensure your spoolie is always ready to rescue your lashes, clean immediately after each use. Use warm soapy water and allow to air dry.

Tip: If you struggle to apply mascara to your lower lashes, try gently tapping the wand against them. Allow to dry and repeat.

Shape Eyebrows

One of a Kind (OOAK) dolls are in vogue. Unique art and highly collectable, they are sought after by individuals and museums from around the globe.

Putting her individual stamp on the OOAK market is talented British artist Jo Sammons, of Damnato Dolls.

From her Northampton base, she produces OOAK dolls that appeal to a specific niche collectors of very detailed art dolls that have a spooky twist.

A must-have for horror and gothic fans, they include vampires complete with fangs, Mooglies and creepy-cute dolls. One of her most recent doll creations is a take on the Wednesday Addams theme. Others include mythical creatures and fantasy dolls. Each creation has a name, which is as unique as its aesthetics.

Meet British artist Jo Sammons who makes creepy, collectable dolls

"Although I mainly veer toward the macabre, weird side, I do like to keep an aspect of cuteness or humour in my creations.

"Occasionally my inner girly-girl comes out and I make a very bright almost kitsch doll, but still with a slightly creepy edge.

"I grew up loving old Dracula films and fantasy films such as The NeverEnding Story which has influenced my doll style significantly. ”

A self-taught artist, Jo's fascination with dolls started in her childhood when she collected Barbies.

The passion for creating her own dolls came about by chance years later. It was sparked by images she saw as an adult on Pinterest.

"I rarely sketch out a design for a doll, " Jo said. "I usually just have a vague idea in my head and then start sculpting the face. Sometimes the face looks like a creature, sometimes more like a girl. I then get a feel for how the body or clothes should look along the way. It’s all a bit of a chaotic process most of the time. "

One of the things that draws customers to Damnato Dolls' page on Etsy is that most of Jo's creations are poseable art.

The soft sculptures are made using a

combination of textiles and ceramics.

The detail that goes into making each face completely unique is exquisite. From deep furrows to realistic looking eyes, every doll has its own distinct personality.

Jo says: "The faces are sculpted from Creative Paper Clay which dries very lightweight but strong. I use a paint brush and a dentistry tool to sculpt the features, giving most of my dolls my trademark heavy brow.

"I use cosmetic brushes to shade the hollows with chalk pastels as though I am contouring with make-up, this gives definition and dimension to their features. "Details such as eyelashes or freckles are then added with watercolour pencils. My favourite part is choosing the eyes, which I do after the face has been shaded, painted and varnished. I then see their little faces come to life. "

Damnato Dolls often cross the Atlantic, with many of Jo's customers coming from the United States of America.

Buyers rave about the detail of the pieces Jo has created and many praise her unique packaging too.

She said: "I absolutely love making these weird little dolls, it is definitely my therapy. They are not to everyone’s taste, so it is all the more rewarding when other people connect with my work. It kind of tells me that I’m not the only quirky weirdo out there. "

Damnato Dolls come in all shapes and sizes and to suit all budgets. Doll prices start from under £40 - much less if you merely want Damnato Dolls' merchandise, which includes mugs, cards and prints.

Find Damnato Dolls

@DamnatoDolls. on Etsy or Twitter at

It may sound crazy but what will be in fashion make-up-wise in 2023 has already been decided - by designers and brands.

If you haven't currently got what the trendsetters have dictated will be in vogue, purchase what you know you will wear now before prices go up to reflect demand.

Not a fan of foundation? Your luck's in! 2023 is going to be your year!

Set to overtake CC and BB creams is the tinted sunscreen. You will get a bit of coverage and all-important protection from the sun at the same time.

Meanwhile, concealer sticks - often quite dry - are definitely out. In their place are creamy, liquid concealers. They don't have to be expensive either. Technic does a fantastic version, complete with applicator.

We take a look at the make-up trends set to define 2023

And, better still, the coverage is so good, you may not need a foundation.

You will be needing your spoolie! Brushed up and gelled brows are set to really come into their own after being a feature of make-up looks for the past couple of years.

As reported in the Christmas issue of REGIME, eyeliner is back - and so too is the smudged look. So, smokey eyes will be massive in 2023.

Lash-wise, you will need to go for curls.

Finally - and this has been on the cards for a while - pressed powder is out. Instead, expect to see MUAs and trend-setters using more loose powder.

In the never-ending quest to rein in my vanishing youth, I'd like to think I haven't overlooked a single beauty hack. I mean, if someone says 'it works' or shows me how great it makes them look, I'm going to be online in a flash, hunting down whatever product it is that I need to get the same result.

In fact, I make the peregrine falcon look like a rank outsider in the race to swoop up the latest 'in' cosmetics. I remind myself of an over-eager jumble sale goer, primed to tackle a pile of musty old ponchos rugby scrum-style. I envisage myself buried beneath a mountain of ghastly patterned knits only to rise up like a phoenix, hand outstretched and clutching for dear life (right next to the 'everything 50p' table)... a super-sized bottle of Estée Lauder Double Wear foundation.

The beauty hacks Belinda Bennett can't be bothered with

There is something dangerous about watching too many YouTube videos and shopping channel presentations - they compel you to part with oodles of cash. Especially if you are a woman of a certain age who can't quite accept that it's 'all over' .

I remind myself of an overeager jumble sale goer, primed to tackle a pile of musty old ponchos rugby scrum-style.

It's about getting from Z back to A and having the intuition to know, really know, what cutting-edge products are going to get you there the fastest - if at all. And it can't be just me who feels like a faded hydrangea in the late 'vintage' stage of decay.

For us beauties turned reluctant frumps, there's always that glimmer of some sort of redemption; hope that the next 'big thing' in cosmetics will make us look and feel fabulous again. You know, be the head turners we once were.

But... Even I, the wannabe reincarnation of Benjamin Button, have had to draw the line somewhere. Some beauty hacks are just that little bit too much of a faff. Products that bring out the 'Can I really be bothered?' in me. And, because of my over-arching desire to turn back the clock and usual reluctance not to miss a trick, I figure the same products are likely getting the cold shoulder from you too.

Eyelash Curler

For something that resembles a mini gynaecological implement, I'm amazed the lash curler ever took off. Yes, it curls the lashes and makes them look longer - if you want to chance pinching your eyelids together. It's a sort of crude press but so revered that it is now commonly thrown in with make-up bundles. You are unlikely to find a beauty influencer who doesn't use one. It's like reversing around a corner for a nervous driver - and then being compelled to wallow in the competency of an expert overly keen to show off their prowess. 'I'll just pop the lash curler on' - and two seconds later they've achieved First Class Honours in being Perfect.

With diminished youth comes diminished eyesight and I, for one, would not bet on a curler even reaching my eye - let alone the lashes. It's a tool that strikes the fear of God into me. I can't believe you can even buy heated ones!

And, you know... You don't need an eyelash curler. A mascara primer will lengthen your lashes and a mascara with a curling wand will shape them nicely.

Lip Liner Pencil

They drag, always need sharpening and most often don't match the lipstick you want to wear. The lip liner pencil is something that gathers shavings at the bottom of cosmetic bags, perhaps dug out once in a blue moon for a special occasion.

For a product that is supposed to define the lips and make them look fuller, it seems odd that I've only ever used one in a bid to stop lip tints from 'bleeding' . The truth is liner wax is nearly always too dry to easily apply and wears down so quickly that lips are forever in mortal danger of being scratched by the pencil's sharp edges.

The lip liner pencil is something that gathers shavings at the bottom of cosmetic bags...

Retractable liners are easier to use but not as easy as the straight edge of a new lipstick.

Brow Styling Soap

This isn't a bad product if you want to flatten and shape your brows. It works. In much the same way as Vaseline but without the blinding sheen.

The issue is that it is yet another make-up routine step. A few flicks with a brow pen will often do the job. Who has got the time to then roll an angled spoolie brush in soap and manicure brows like the hairs on a Crufts contender? Not me!

It works. In much the same way as Vaseline but without the blinding sheen.

Eyeshadow Primer

This one pains me. As an out-and-out eyeshadow addict, eyeshadow primer should be a daily staple of my routine. Alas, it is not.

Apart from face primers and concealers doing just as good a job, they have a distinct disadvantage for busy - or disorganised - gals. Primarily sold in small tubes, they have a knack for getting lost.

I've currently got two tubes - somewhere. The fact that I am not going out of my way to locate them says it all, doesn't it?

Beauty Hacks

The web is littered with beauty hacks - some good, some bad. The truth is that the ones we are most likely to stick with are super-easy, don't cost much and offer true benefits. The knack is finding them.

We backed away from our social media channels a bit in the run-up to Christmas. Apart from not wanting to step on the toes of small independent businesses struggling to make a living, we needed to make some major changes to our website.

Still stuck in Goggle's sandbox, it was time to give the entire site a refresh.

As well as completely redesigning the full expanse of the homepage, we added new graphics and new sections.

The menu now includes links to our Beauty Club page and forum as well as a Members' page. This is where you can meet new people, choose who you want to follow and also, if you enable the feature, to exchange messages. Here's what we've been up to since the Christmas issue of REGIME

While, in the short-term, this isn't going to help our SEO at all (quite the reverse), we are confident it will in the future.

It was time-consuming and we had a change of mind regarding the main homepage image - eventually going for the one featured above.

A big part of the redesign was getting our Mission Statement clear. We are a beauty content hub. Full stop. We don't currently sell anything on our website and any links are either to posts on our social channels or to brands' websites. We do not point people from our website to Amazon. This decision was made when the current website was launched in Spring 2022. It was made in a bid to show our support for independents, though we have not seen any evidence that this has been noticed. Hence the desire to make our stance much clearer.

We've moved our Beauty Gifts, Makeup and Skincare product pages, which link to posts on our social channels, to the back of the website. They are still accessible but harder to find.

One of the reasons for this was that the deals have become boring. They feature the same old products over and over again. If you need inspiration and you are on a tight budget, they are there merely for that.

By the time you read this, we are hoping to have figured out a way to ensure magazine readers access REGIME entirely through our website, if they choose to do so.

We are hoping to find a way to better embed the magazine on our own channels...

It is predominately hosted by Simplebooklet and is available to view via that platform, however... Even though we pay for this, any clicks to the Magazine page on our website automatically get redirected to Simplebooklet's platform. This doesn't help our 'bounce rate' .

So, we are hoping to find a way to better embed the magazine on our own channels in a bid to keep readers on our site for longer. REGIME is also available via ISSUU and this is where we will point readers for back issues.

We are heading into 2023 with

renewed enthusiasm. Regime doesn't want to be a beauty influencer; we want to be a beauty circle - a force for good that brings people with similar interests together to learn from one another and to make friends.

Above all, we want to

ensure remain free and accessible to all. our services

We believe in empowering people just like you to have confidence in their looks. And we are passionate about telling everyone: 'You are beautiful!'

Our work supports those who want to boost their self-esteem through knowledge and being part of a growing online community. We also keep our readers in the loop when it comes to hot deals and run regular competitions in our fortnightly newsletter.

We're not stuffy. In fact, we love a bit of humour - you will find plenty in our blog section!

Whether you want to master eyebrow shaping, make-up application, anti-ageing skincare or simply keep up with what's new, we're glad you are here.

Our biggest challenge for 2023 will be driving visitors to our website. To help spread the word about what we do, we are going to be making much more effort with video content.

Over the past month, we've been experimenting with different types of video content on YouTube, TikTok and Twitter. One of the biggest takeaways from this is that syndicated content - even if used as part of a unique design - is recognised by these platforms, who give it less exposure. The platforms can also determine where else we have posted the same content.

This means, we are going to have to create unique content for each channel. Enter... Our new selfie stick! Yes, we are going to produce our own videos, both for shorts and reels and longer presentations. We already have loads of ring lights, but we want to be able to make video material on the go.

The challenges involved in creating unique video content

This will include vox pops and general

discussions.

'What's in your cosmetics bag?' is going to be one of the ideas we explore through this medium.

Instagram and Facebook continue to be very poor channels for us at the moment. We have a lot of followers on the latter, but very few see our posts and even fewer engage with them. We hope to change this with reels and general videos.

On Twitter, we have become stuck and need to reach outside of our current following to achieve more.

The images on the following page each link to video content that we produced during our experiments across the various channels.