BEAUTY

CO-EDITOR LIBBY DAWSON

Q&A WITH Libby Dawson

WHAT CHANGES THE MOST ABOUT YOUR BEAUTY REGIME IN SPRING?

The best thing for me about the change in season is that I get to strip everything back down to basics. During the warmer weather I much prefer to embrace my natural hair and natural skin; I don’t like to reach for the fuller coverage makeup products and because of the fresh Spring air, I like to let everything breathe. I haven’t worn makeup for months during lockdown, now I’m worried about my skin when I put it back on. I think this is definitely going to be a problem for lots of people, as many of us have been embracing the natural look during these lockdown months. I think I’ve definitely forgotten how to apply makeup, so I really need to get back into a rhythm with it too. My advice would be that we are (hopefully) going to be coming out of lockdown during the warmer months, which is a blessing! We can ease our skin back into makeup gently, and start by using BB creams, tinted moisturiser and products that aren’t as heavy. One of my favourite things about the summer months (as I’ve mentioned briefly above) is that I don’t feel like I need to wear lots of makeup as I much prefer to let my skin breathe. By using these products and not going straight back to full coverage heavy makeup, this’ll definitely be better for your skin and give it a chance to get used to products again. It’s also important to remember your skincare and get into a good cleansing routine too.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE PRODUCT AT THE MOMENT?

At this current moment in time, my favourite beauty product has got to be between the Revolution Conceal and Define Concealer and the Lee Stafford Coco Loco Coconut Balm. I’ve never really used concealer before but this Revolution product is great, and I’m really enjoying dabbing it sparingly on my face and blending it out as a base. Then, the

Coconut Balm has been great for restoring my dry ends. I’m going on a bit of a journey at the moment with my hair and this has definitely helped me to keep it feeling nourished and soft.

I’m feeling anxious about heading back into the beauty salons when everything re opens. Again, I think this is something that a lot of people are going to be feeling so you shouldn’t feel alone with this. Whilst it might feel important to support these businesses when they re open, it’s even more important to do what you feel most comfortable with, and you shouldn’t feel pressure to book in your haircut, nail appointment and wax all at once! I’m sure that everyone is going to be working their hardest to ensure everything is 100% safe for when you feel ready to have your beauty treatments. As I’ve said, I am currently on a hair journey myself, and trying to keep it in its best possible condition is definitely not easy! My top tips are to, drink water, try not to wash your hair regularly, keep the heat off (easier said than done), brush your hair from the bottom up to avoid breakages, treat it regularly / use oils to ensure the ends stay nourished, and ensure you’re getting enough omega3, protein and iron. If you’re like me and are struggling with your hair and potential loss, please remember to speak to your GP, because your body could be lacking in many things that can contribute to hair problems. And with that being said, keep reading to find out how one of our beauty writers has transformed the condition of her hair!

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE NAIL COLOUR?

I will admit that I am incredibly boring when it comes to my nails, and my favourite colours do depend on the season we are in. I love a classic all white, or a simple white tip, especially throughout the summer months. As well as that, I love a simple nude/baby pink/beige, and my favourite colour at the moment is a creamy oatmeal colour; I’ll have these colours 90% of the time but especially in Spring and Summer. Then, in the Autumn and Winter months I like to spice it up with a bit of burgundy or a dark red wine shade. You won’t catch me with a lime green, any glitter or nail art, I like to keep it very basic and plain.

Nourishing

Hair Treatments

BY AMY CURTIS

Finding the right treatment for your hair can be difficult. You walk into Superdrug or Boots or even browse online and you are faced with so many options. It becomes near impossible to decide what is best for you. One might be cheaper but you’ve never heard of the brand before or, you may have heard of another brand but the price is extortionate. Then you have all the others in between, different colours, shapes, scents, all promising a varying degree of textures and hair conditions. Even looking up reviews can be difficult because one person will review claiming that it is the best thing they have ever used whereas someone else will warn you away from the product with skull and bones. Where do you even start? I’m going to talk you through my newfound hair treatment and what has worked for me. I’m not going to promise you the world and that this will definitely work for you because it all depends on your hair type and current condition. Working out what your hair needs is the first step to finding the best treatment for you. Personally, I have always suffered with dry hair from years of colouring, but the catch-22 is that I find my hair becomes oily quickly too. I switch my hair colour regularly between blonde and purple and have extremely fine hair. Lockdown hit and I knew that this was my time to get my hair back to its best self. I used B4’s hair colour remover and knew that to get my hair in better condition, I had to sacrifice making it a little worse first. Pro tip: don’t use hair colour remover in the same room you’re going to be working in later that day. The smell lingered in my nostrils for the entirety of the 8 hours. I do not recommend trying this at home!

When I washed out the colour remover, I used Garnier Ultimate Blends Papaya shampoo and conditioner. This brand has been an absolute game changer for me. The papaya one is specialised for damaged hair and I knew that this was just what I needed after using who knows how many chemicals in my hair. Next step for me was getting all the dead ends chopped off to create a more blunt edge. As my hair is so fine, I find that by having my hair cut, this helps to increase thickness. Getting your hair cut often is a step that most seem to forget about when they are caring for their hair. By cutting your hair frequently, you are removing any strands that have become lifeless and enabling the new hairs to grow back healthier. This has been difficult for most people recently and I know we’ve seen an increase of lockdown haircuts. If you can confidently cut it yourself then chop away but if you’re not feeling certain then it may be best to wait until the hairdressers open again. I decided not to wash my hair for a few days and leave it to create its natural oils. Try not to wash your hair too often because this can also cause dryness. If you notice that it’s taking a long time to blowdry your hair then you know that it’s seeking some nourishment. Final step and this one is my favourite, after 3-4 days, when you do wash your hair, don’t use any conditioner in the shower. Once you get out of the shower, apply Garnier’s Ultimate Blends Banana Hair Mask. Do not be afraid to slather this on. You can use this mask just as a conditioner, a leave in conditioner or a hair mask. If you are trying to repair your hair and get some life back into it then I recommend leaving this on overnight by placing a towel on your pillow and washing it off in the morning. The Garnier Blends shampoo, conditioner and hair masks have been life savers for me and they have brought my hair back to life. There is a huge variety of them to cater for all different hair types including damaged, coloured and dry. I’ve found that I use these products regularly and alternate between them to keep my hair in its new-found shiny condition. Not only do these smell amazing enough that you want to eat them but they’re also vegan friendly! My personal treatment won’t work for everyone. Everyone is different but these treatments are so well-rounded that I do believe that you will find a treatment that is right for you and your hair type!