The Beauty Expert Blog - The Beauty Expert Group Weddings & Events

8/28/2023 0 Comments

August 28th, 2023

Whether you are lamenting the end of Summer or snapping up every Pumpkin Spice scented product in a five mile radius - it is time to transition your skincare from summer to autumn.

I am a skincare fanatic and as a Celebrity Makeup Artist I need to stay apprised of the best products available. I love to bring this knowledge to work for my private Bridal and Special Events clients! Heading into a big event can be nerve wracking and take a toll on your skin!

I often partner with my friend and colleague Flora Pitsali (click her name to check out her Instagram!!) who is an international skincare expert and these are some of our favourite products to make that seasonal transition to the most wonderful time of the year (and yes, as an American living in the UK, I am referring to Halloween).

There are a few products I insist everyone MUST have:

1. SPF - If you’re not wearing SPF, what are you doing with your face? I absolutely LOVE Ultraviolette’s Supreme Skin SPF 50+ Hydrating SkinScreen - This is a product I use on myself every single day. Don’t come at me and tell me it’s not sunny in the UK! Did you know that certain types of clouds actually MAGNIFY the amount of UV rays reaching your skin? YES. SO make sure you are wearing SPF (and the right amount! Two fingers worth!)

Pro Tip: They also make LeanScreen which is a mattifying sunscreen - and so anyone that has a more lubricated/glowy skin will benefit from this!

2. Eye Cream/ Gel - Kate Somerville Wrinkle Warrior Eye Treatment - This lightweight gel is amazing at decreasing puffiness and dark circles. Make sure that you are keeping the application to the size of a grain of rice, and gently patting it on the bony area under the eye (NO CLOSER!). Microcirculation will draw the moisture where it needs to go - putting eye treatments any closer to the lower lash line can INCREASE puffiness, dark circles, and even lead to small, white deposits from the products.

Pro Tip: They also make a PHENOMENAL +Retinol Firming Eye Cream which is chef’s kiss.

Now on to some of my kit staples that will work wonders heading into the cooler months. As it cools and we start to have more indoor heating your skin can dehydrate - so pay close attention to exfoliation and hydration. Often skin that is dehydrated can present as oily - yes, even if you think your face is a walking oil slick it can often be caused by using too many stripping or incorrect for your skin type products. When skin is traumatised by using incorrect products you can affect the pH of your skin, which can cause skin problems.

When you start adding exfoliation to your skincare routine it is important to go slowly - start with 1 to 2 times a week and see how your skin reacts. It can take up to 8 weeks to really see the effect of any skin product, but if you see any extreme reaction immediately please discontinue use of that product!

Here are a few of my favourite Exfoliation Skin Treatments:

1. JJ Young Pore Bubble Mask - One of the coolest products I have used. You have seen technology like this in Bliss' Triple Oxygen Mask (and others like it), but this takes it to a new level with the amount of bubble, the addition of charcoal for cleansing, and the granules that smooth the skin. I love this product and can't wait to try more of their goodies!!

2.Nia Skincare Sunday Detox Mask - This peel off mud mask is amazing - I have seen similar products from K Beauty vendors - but this has the exciting addition of FRUIT EXTRACTS to add an awesome punch to the party! It's a mud mask on steroids.

3. Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Peel - Yes, I know that I bang the drum on this one a bit much - but when you have perfection like this, why not shout it from the rooftops. I test products DAILY - I am constantly trying new products and finding gems - but I JUST CAN'T QUIT YOU, Dr. Dennis Gross. These will make your skin like new. LIKE NEW.

4. Beauty Pie Fruitzyme Five Minute Facial - I didn't get to talk about this - and we need to talk about it - if you haven't signed up for Beauty Pie, then you are missing out. I am working on a segment to include the majesty that is Beauty Pie - but that is for another day. This is a great mask that exfoliates in multiple ways - fruit enzymes, a cocktail of acids, and physical exfoliation. An excellent tool to have in your skincare arsenal.

After exfoliation you want to drench your skin in hydration and some of my recent favourites include:

Hada Labo Tokyo Super Hydration Lotion - Three types of Hyaluronic Acid make this a fab product for every skin type. I recently had a chemical peel (from Flora, obvs) and as my skin healed I applied this soothing lotion and my skin just GLOWS. I use this as a serum and use an additional moisturiser on top like:

BeautyPie (are we sensing a theme? They just make great stuff!) NEW Shinkai Electrolyte Drench. This gel-cream has a lovely, light soufflé texture that layers beautifully and will soak quickly into your skin leaving it feeling velvety and cushiony.

As a final step I am a wholehearted advocate of using the best in concealers to perfect the skin and two of my faves for Special Events and Weddings (and red carpet!) are:

Concealer: The BEST concealer for tattoos, spider veins, hyperpigmentation and birthmarks is Dermablend. You will find many who say they can conceal - but in the consumer realm - this is the holy grail (in the pro realm there are other choices, but that, is for another day). Dermablend makes it easy and accessible to conceal and KEEP THAT CONCEALER ON - why conceal if it's just going to rub off? Worry not, you are in the best hands with these concealers. I used the Quick Fix Concealer Stick - which is PERFECT for Acne.

Under Eye Concealer - Amazing Cosmetics Amazing Concealer - Smooth, lightweight - this concealer really looks like SKIN - and that's what you want. You can either match your skin or go 1/2 shade lighter to brighten. Amazing Concealer has a wide range of shades - there is something for everyone!

Remember - if you happen to have a breakout you want to apply with a clean brush, or disposable sponge (to keep the bacteria at bay), you can conceal the breakout - but you may seen the topography of the spots (texture is real!) - so make sure you are hitting the zit from all angles and you can cancel out the irritation until it can heal!

Pigmentation - With pigmentation you want to make sure that you are using a product that is long wearing, possibly water resistant, and a good skin match. Decide what you are going to match - the lighter area, the deeper area - your neck - you choose. Pigment density is key here - and what that means is that you want a pigment heavy product to cover without being cakey looking. My favorite new product is the Foundation by Westmore Beauty. The Westmore family are Hollywood makeup royalty - they invented the Film Makeup department, created the first false eyelashes, I could go on and on. I was lucky enough to try this foundation (which also doubles as a concealer (hello, pigment density) and I was AMAZED. The finish is beautiful - it makes your skin look absolutely flawless. It comes with a brush as well! Check it out and let me know what you think!

xx

Alexis

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8/28/2023 0 Comments

Summertime Hair!

It's summertime and with summer heat comes the steamy humidity that can wreak havoc on any hair. Prevention is key when it comes to humidity and there are some tips, tricks and products that can make dealing with frizzy hair a (cool summer) breeze!

1. Wash less - condition more!
It is super important to keep your hair hydrated - washing your hair will strip the natural oils, and if you are experiencing frizzy hair - you hair is most likely dry! Smooth the cuticle of the hair by using deep conditioners, spray on conditioners, even dry conditioners! Wash your hair as infrequently as possible (2-3 times per week) but you can rinse and condition every day! With my curly hair and my love of a sweaty workout I need to rinse my hair everyday - and I follow with an awesome conditioner, a leave in conditioner, and a styling product.

2. How moisture helps combat frizz
Moisture - specifically frizz busting conditioning products - help smooth the rough cuticle of your hair - which helps to contain and combat frizz! When you coat the shaft of the hair you allow the hair to relax and either succumb to the natural curl pattern (and have your curls hang beautifully!) or hang straight. When people bleach or color treat hair it lifts the cuticle and allows moisture to enter the shaft of the hair - much like a sponge - and BOOM - frizzy hair. Keep that cuticle cute by moisturizing!!

3. How to dry your hair to reduce frizz

Use a specially designed towel - or what I use - an old t-shirt, to gently blot moisture from the hair. Think of your hair as a nest of bees - if you agitate the bees you will get stung with a bad hair day, you get more honey (good hair days!) if you are sweet to the bees, so make sure you are gentle when you are drying your hair! Blot, blot, blot!!!

4. How to make heat styling frizz friendly!
PRODUCTS!!! It is so important to use the right products to make sure you are preparing your hair for heat styling! I love to use Amika and John Frida's Frizz Ease line on my curly and frizz prone clients - and I am a OUIDAD Devotee for myself. For heat styling make sure that you are conditioning, using a priming oil and spray to really coat your strands before you start blowing out and flat ironing! Here are my favorite products:

Amika Blockade Heat Defense Serum: Keeps your tresses safe in the face of heat danger!
Amika Brooklyn Bombshell Blowout Spray: Volume, Body, Shine, and heat protection - what more do you need?

Frizz Ease Frizzy Hair Primer: Apply after your Leave in Conditioner to protect from frizz!
Frizz Ease Nourishing Leave in Conditioner: This is a must have every day leave in!
Frizz Ease Nourishing Oil Elixir: This leave hair 50% smoother, shiny and frizz free!

Ouidad: I use the entire Climate Control line - I would recommend using everything together as it works so well - but here are two additional products that I think are MUST HAVES:

Ouidad Advanced Climate Control Restore + Revive Bi-Phase Spray: This does what I consider the impossible: allows me to get up in the morning, spray on my hair and go about my day with great hair. If you have curly hair, you know that getting up in the morning and going about your day without a complete restyling of your hair is a miracle (unless you are wearing a scarf or protective style). This stuff is MAGIC.

Ouidad Advanced Climate Control Heat & Humidity Gel - Stronger Hold: I was a fan of the original formula of this gel, it was the first product that a curly girl could use that didn't make your hair crunchy and allowed your curls to hang properly. This new version builds on the successful formula of the previous incarnation with extra hold power.

Ouidad Advanced Climate Control Featherlite Styling Cream: This cream is amazing - it allows your curls to be truly touchable and soft. I have tried so many products trying to find one that will actually tame the frizz, help the curl pattern, and allow my hair to look like the hair of my dreams. This truly does that. Most amazing is that the texture of my hair with this product allows me to be able to twist my hair once it is applied and it truly holds - no frizzy ends! It's amazing!!

5. Protective hairstyles to reduce frizz and lock in moisture

If you really don't have time to style your hair - or if you want to give your hair a mini staycation on your head - a protective hairstyle is a great option. Coat your hair liberally with a leave in conditioner (or if your tresses are really in need of CPR use a heavy duty mask) and twist into braids, or another style to help protect from damage and seal in the treatment.

If you have a question, ask a question!! xxx Huge Hugs!!

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