Get Your Hair Party Ready For Australia Day With Aussie Haircare

aussiehaircareDid you know that it will be Australia Day soon? In fact it is on Sunday 26th January. To celebrate @Aussie_Hair_UK, Beautyandthedirt and The Sunday Girl are hosting a Twitter party this Friday between 12.30 and 1.30.

The Aussie Hair Care expert Liz Taw will be on hand to answer hair questions so you can get your hair party-ready for all of those Australia Day parties. You need to use the hashtag #aussieparty to take part. There is a lot of great party-hair looks around at the moment. We have been taking inspiration from the Golden Globes and the SAG/AFTRA awards.

Aussie will be giving away 10 sets of two products to those who tweet either a question for Liz or generally take part – these will be chosen at random throughout the chat and the winners will be dm’d.

Another reason to be excited: Aussie is launching brand new Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Light Deep Treatment Mousse, RRP £4.99, in store at the start of February. These are the perfect products to prepare your hair to make sure it’s healthy, shiny and party ready.

These are the perfect treatment for finer hair in need of deep hydration and nourishment. You will also be able to get your hands on 3 Minute Miracle Light Aussome Volume and 3 Minute Miracle Light Mega, which are both light weight conditioning mousses. There is also Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Light treatments. They fit in perfectly with your usual shower routine – start with your Aussie shampoo and conditioner of choice, follow with the whipped-cream like mousse, leave-in for 3 minutes then wash out for deep conditioning goodness. Now it’s easier than ever to ramp up your everyday hair routine with a little touch of magic; each treatment will help to nourish fine locks like they have never been nourished before.

The Aussie philosophy is: “There’s more to life than hair, but it’s a good place to start” Too true.

 

PRIZE DRAW

 

How to Enter:

 

To enter, please visit the Aussie Twitter page:

https://twitter.com/Aussie_Hair_UK

 

Participate in Twitter chat, Friday 24th January 2014, 12.30pm – 1.30pm using hashtag #AussieParty 

  • Must use #AussieParty

After the closing time and date of Friday 24th January, 1.30pm, 10 entries will be selected at random by an independent person to win a full range of either Aussie Aussome Volume range or Aussie Mega range

  • First five winners selected at random will win a set of Aussome Volume range (all six variants). Next five entrants will win a set of Mega range (all 3 variants)
  • Prize in detail:
  • Five sets of:
    • Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Light Aussome Volume Deep Treatment Mousse
    • Aussie Aussome Volume Shampoo (300ml variant)
    • Aussie Aussome Volume Conditioner (250ml variant)
    • Aussie Dual Personality Aussome Volume + Gloss Hairspray
    • Aussie Dual Personailty Aussome Volume Conditioning Gel Spray
    • Aussie Dual Personaility Aussome Volume + Conditioning Mousse

Five sets of:

  • Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Light Mega Deep Treatment Mousse
  • Aussie Mega Shampoo (300ml variant)
  • Aussie Mega Instant Conditioner (250ml variant)
    • 10 winners in total to be chosen at random

 

Terms and conditions

  1. This Free Prize Draw is open to all residents in the UK and ROI aged 18 years and over, excluding employees of Procter & Gamble UK and its affiliates or agents, the families of such employees and any other person connected with this promotion.
  2. No purchase required.
  3. Only one entry per person. No bulk or third party entries accepted.
  4. To enter Tweet and use the hashtag #AussieParty by 1.30pm on 24/01/2014 
  5. All entries received by 1.30pm on 24/01/2014 will be entered into a Free Prize Draw, and the first five entries randomly selected by an independent person will win:
  • Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Light Aussome Volume Deep Treatment Mousse
  • Aussie Aussome Volume Shampoo (300ml variant)
  • Aussie Aussome Volume Conditioner (250ml variant)
  • Aussie Dual Personality Aussome Volume + Gloss Hairspray
  • Aussie Dual Personailty Aussome Volume Conditioning Gel Spray
  • Aussie Dual Personaility Aussome Volume + Conditioning Mousse

The next five entries selected by an independent person will win:

  • Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Light Mega Deep Treatment Mousse
  • Aussie Mega Shampoo (300ml variant)
  • Aussie Mega Instant Conditioner (250ml variant)
  1. There will be no runner up prizes. The prizes are as stated and cannot be transferred, sold or exchanged. There is no cash alternative.  Only one prize per household.
  2. Winners will be notified by Twitter private message within 6 days of the closing date.  In the event the claim for a prize is not received by the Promoter within 4 days of notification, the Promoter reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Please allow 28 days for delivery after prize claim being received.
  3. The Promoter reserves the right to substitute the prize of equal or greater value in the event of unavailability due to circumstances beyond the Promoter’s control.
  4. By entering this Free Prize Draw, entrants agree to be bound by the rules and by any other requirements set out in the promotional material.

10. Your personal details will only be used for the purposes of administering this promotion and for no other purposes. For more information on our privacy policy, please visit:

http://www.pg.com/privacy/english/privacy_notice.shtml

11.  By entering the Free Prize Draw, the winner consents to any publicity generated as a result of the draw and use on websites, magazines or mobile services at any time without further consent or payment.

 

RULES OF ENTRY/SUBMISSION:

This Promotion is for your personal entertainment and we hope you will enjoy it while abiding by the following rules:

By entering the Promotion, you agree to be bound by these Terms & Conditions. Procter & Gamble reserve the right to modify the content of these Terms & Conditions with retrospective effect at any time without prior notice for the sole purpose of ensuring the good execution of the Promotion, with no detrimental effect on the participants.

 

(a)   You represent that:

All content that you submit is original and accurate

You are not an employee of Procter & Gamble nor do you work for or are contracted by an affiliate or agency of P&G hired by P&G to promote and/or sell P&G Products

Your submission (or any portion of it) has not been included in nor is planned for use in any other advertising or promotional materials, for P&G or any third party

Your submission will be made without any prior payment or promise of payment having been made to you or the expectation to you of any payment, benefit or advantage in return for your proposed submission, except for the possibility of having your submission used for P&G promotional purposes as explained below.

The statements you make or opinions you convey reflect your true and honest opinion of and experience with the P&G products mentioned in your submission

If your submissions contain any images of persons who are minor of age, you represent that you are the legal guardian of the minor depicted and agree to the minor being featured in the submissions.

 

(b)   You should not upload

any content belonging to anybody else, such as material which contains trademarks and/or copyright protected material, any material broadcast on TV or Radio, or any other material that does not belong to you;

any sensitive information about someone’s mental or physical health, political or religious beliefs;

anything that is derogatory or defamatory to any person or members of a particular race, nationality, sex, sexual orientation or religion or incite hatred of particular groups;

anything that is illegal, abusive, offensive, obscene, bullying or name calling of other people;

anything that in any way exposes information of a private nature (including but not limited to person identifiable information such as websites, addresses, email addresses, contact information, etc), is spam, is sexually explicit, depicts violence, sadism or cruelty;

anything that condones illegal drug usage;

anything that portrays any corporation or Aussie negatively;

anything which promotes your own products or services or any third party’s products or services;

Any information known by you to be false, inaccurate or misleading;

Any programming or materials containing any Trojan horses, computer viruses, worms, harmful codes, or other potentially damaging computer programmes or files

If the Promotion requires a photo or any audiovisual content such as video of you being uploaded, it must be a photo or audiovisual content of you and nobody else, famous or otherwise. Such video should not contain any music.

You retain all of your ownership rights in your uploaded content and by entering the Promotion and uploading your content, there is no assignment of any intellectual property rights in your material to Procter & Gamble. However, by submitting your content, you hereby grant to Procter & Gamble a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, transferrable licence to use, reproduce, distribute and display the content, in whole or in part, on (Aussie website address) where you submit your content from time to time required for the purposes of the Promotion. You understand that your entry may be accessible by all viewers of the (Aussie Twitter Application) onto which it is uploaded and that it is not subject to any obligation of confidence on part of P&G or its third party service providers and agents. This licence granted by you terminates when you remove or delete any material from the (https://secure.easyanswer.net/aussietwittercompetition) or at the latest X months after the end of the Promotion.

You understand and agree that P&G has the right (but not the obligation) to monitor, review, remove or refuse your submission or any portion thereof, and you acknowledge that you are entirely responsible for the contents of any submissions.

 

DISCLAIMER:

  • ·         You agree that entry into this Promotion shall be at your sole risk. To the fullest extent permitted by law, this Twitter Page is made available to you “as is” and Procter & Gamble, its officers, directors, employees, and agents make no warranties or representations about the accuracy or completeness of the content on the (Aussie Twitter page) and the corresponding (Aussie Application) or the content of any sites linked to this site and assumes no liability or responsibility for any damages, injuries, technical issues of any kind.

INDEMNITY

  • By entering the Promotion, you agree to defend, indemnify and hold harmless Procter & Gamble, its directors, employees and agents, from and against any and all claims, damages, losses, liabilities, costs or expenses (including but not limited to legal fees) arising from: (i) your use of and access to the (Aussie Twitter page) and the corresponding (Aussie Application; (ii) your breach of any of these terms; (iii) your breach of any third party rights, including without limitation any copyright, intellectual property, or privacy right; (iv) your breach of any laws and regulation in creating, posting and/or subsequently amending your submissions; or (v) any claim that any one of your submissions caused damage to a third party. This indemnity shall survive the duration of the Promotion.

JURISDICTION:

  • For UK residents this Promotion is governed by the laws of England and subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Courts of England over any matter arising under or in connection with the Promotion. For ROI residents, this Promotion is governed by the laws of the Republic of Ireland over any matter arising under or in connection with the Promotion.

 

 

NOTIFY & TAKE-DOWN PROCEDURE:

  • If you are a third party and you believe that any content hosted on the Aussie Twitter page and the corresponding (Aussie Twitter Application) infringes your copyright or other intellectual property rights, please notify Procter & Gamble as soon as possible at the address below and we will remove the content with immediate effect. Procter & Gamble disclaims any liability whatsoever for an infringement, and will not be responsible for any claims, costs, damages or actions in respect of any alleged or actual infringement. Rights holders should contact the users who uploaded the content directly if they wish to discuss any claims.

ACCEPTANCE OF Ts&Cs:

  • By clicking agree below, you agree to the items set out below.

Terms & conditions of use

  • I confirm that I am at least 18 years old
  • I understand that my submission will become public if I upload it to the Aussie UK and Ireland Twitter page (including my user name and photo).
  • I allow Aussie and our partners and agencies to re-use the content I submit, in accordance with the Terms and Conditions below, without further compensation.
  • I confirm that I own the rights to the content I upload and that I am not using any content which infringes anybody else’s rights or that uses or depicts anybody else’s name or picture.
  • If I submit content that depicts images of a person who is minor, I confirm that I am the legal guardian of the minor depicted in the submission. As the legal guardian of the minor depicted, I acknowledge that I agree to the minor being featured in the submission and in other uses of the content as stated in the Terms and Conditions below.

You will be required to scroll through the entire agreement and click the ‘Agree’ button.

If you do not agree to the terms, do not click the button and download your image.

 

PROMOTER: Procter & Gamble UK, Weybridge, Surrey, KT13 0XP

 

Sponsored Post

Millie Mackintosh Reveals Beauty Secret

Her perfectly toned and tanned physique have dominated the fashion and beauty headlines since starring in hit TV show Made in Chelsea; the scripted reality following the lives of London’s rich and famous.

This weekend Millie Mackintosh revealed the £7.99 bottle behind her gorgeous glow and flawless complexion; Cocoa Brown by Marissa Carter 1 HOUR TAN.

milliemackintosh

Accompanying enviable before and after shots, Millie wrote; “Discovered @CocoaBrownTan this weekend! Such a gorgeous natural glow in just 60mins. #love #besttan #notorange”.

But it’s not just Millie crediting the award-winning beauty essential for a flawless, natural, A-List finish. Cocoa Brown 1 HOUR TAN caused a frenzy among beauty bloggers when it launched in 2013, selling out 15 weeks of stock in 2 hours. 3 bottles of the tan fly off the shelves every single minute!

Cocoa Brown 1 HOUR TAN is available in selected UK Primark Stores, online at www.feelunique.com and in UK Superdrug stores nationwide – RRP £7.99.

The Bakewell Soap Company Luscious Lips Green Apple Review

Winter always plays havoc with my lips and I hate it. Almost as much as I hate lip balms that don’t work and ones with loads of chemicals, don’t they realise you will ingest some of the balm? Which is why I love natural products. The Bakewell Soap Company Luscious Lips lip balm is packed full of natural ingredients; a blend of shea, cocoa butter and apricot.

The Bakewell Soap Company Luscious Lips Green Apple

It smells great, like apple obviously, but in a natural, not sickly way. The balm feels good on, not sticky.  It leaves your lips feeling moisturised and protected. They have vitamin E for extra protection and it is long-lasting.

The packaging is simple and works well, adding to the natural vibe. It comes in seven different flavours and costs `£2.95/£3.95. Available from notonthehighstreet.com

http://www.bakewellsoap.co.uk/

Top Cosmetic Surgeries of 2013

·      473% increase in arm lifts as patients wave goodbye to bingo wings

·      Buffalo hump removal up 350% in 2013

·      Moobs’ a hot topic as enquiries for male breast removal doubles

·      221% increase in those opting for buttock lifts

 

From Kim Kardashian’s infamous derriere tweet sparking surgery rumours, to Heidi Montag’s breast reduction –in 2013 cosmetic surgery was a talking point. New statistics from clinic comparison site WhatClinic.com, shows what cosmetic treatments were hot or not in 2013.

Arm lifts saw a whopping 473% increase in 2013 as many patients waved goodbye to those dreaded bingo wings. Fluctuations in weight and growing older can cause the upper arm skin to sag, which is what the surgery – also known as brachioplasty – corrects. The cost, however, is not for the faint hearted – averaging £3,872 – over a third (35%) more than it cost in 2012.

beyonce booty most wantedWith Beyonce’s booty once again taking centre stage in her raunchy new video, ‘Partition’, it’s not surprising that enquiries into buttock lifts more than tripled (221%) last year. However, the surgery, which aims to contour and sculpt patients’ rears, comes with a hefty price tag of around £4,226 and experts recommend no physical exertion for three to six weeks following treatment.

One of the more unusual procedures trending in 2013 was buffalo hump removal, which had no interest in 2012, but saw a 350% increase in 2013. This surgery removes the fatty build-up at the base of the neck caused by excessive weight gain. Although it’s still not widely available in the UK, demand amongst British patients is certainly on the up.

It wasn’t just women going under the knife in 2013, as male breast reduction enquiries more than doubled (119%) last year. However, over a third (35%) of those looking to banish their ‘moobs’, went overseas to countries such as Poland, the Czech Republic and Belgium, where surgeries are considerably cheaper.

Full abdominoplasty, also known as a tummy tuck, saw enquiries fall by half (46%) last year, while abdominal etching dropped by almost a fifth (17%). Etching, hugely popular in the 1990s, is aimed at people who are quite fit but have a small amount of fat covering their abs. Demand for both procedures is now falling as many patients opt for alternatives like fat transfer, which saw a 126% increase in the past 12 months.

Mini-facelifts also dropped by 60% as less invasive treatments, such as non-surgical facelifts and dermal fillers (both up 93%) and Thermage skin tightening (up 80%) proved more popular with patients.

The following table shows the treatments that have seen the biggest increases in enquiries in 2013:

 

Treatment

% increase in enquiries over past 12 months

Average price

Arm lift

473%

£3,872

Buffalo hump removal

350%

£3,315

Cleft lip palate

260%

£350

Buttock lift

221%

£4,226

Eyelid surgery

158%

£2,125

Thigh lift

141%

£4,298

Fat transfer

126%

£2,548

Neck liposuction

123%

£2,142

Male breast reduction

119%

£3,493

Neck lift

110%

£3,258

 

The following table shows the treatments that have seen the biggest decreases in enquiries in 2013:

 

Treatment

% decrease in past 12 months

Average price

Genital reshaping

-74%

£4,707

Mini facelift

-60%

£4,299

Asian bkepharoplasty

-57%

£1,000

Full abdominoplasty

-46%

£4,912

Breast reconstruction

-41%

£5,794

Eye lift

-32%

£1,191

Pectoral implants

-28%

n/a

Nasal tip surgery

-18%

£2,317

Abdominal etching

-17%

£5,313

Jaw contouring

-16%

£1,625

Nip + Fab Glycolic Fix Exfoliating Facial Pads Review

I have previously reviewed Nip + Fab Glycolic Fix Serum, which I loved and thought made a real difference to my skin. It was even our product of the year so I had high hopes for the Nip + Fab Glycolic Fix Exfoliating Facial Pads. The first thing I have to say about them is how convenient they are. Usually exfoliating requires massaging a scrub into your face and I always worry I am rubbing too much or not enough.

Nip + Fab Glycolic Fix Exfoliating Facial PadsreviewThese are just presoaked pads which smell of citrus (which is lovely and soft- not overpowering), and have bumps on one side. You wipe it over your face, neck and decolletage.The pads are small but do the entire area. It says use the pads once or twice a day. I do it almost every day.

I don’t have any wrinkles yet but the pads leave my skin brighter and exfoliated. I feel my overall skin texture and tone has improved. In fact an annoying patch of dryness that was so noticeable on my neck it actually looked a bit orange has now gone. The pads also have witch hazel and blue daisy in them to soothe and tone.

I love these pads. They are a mild chemical peel but are still gentle and they do not sting my sensitive skin. They leave a temporary tackiness just after they are applied but this does not linger. I highly recommend these pads and at £12.95 for 60 pads they are very cheap for what they are. A warning though: these are a mild chemical peel so after you have used them you must use an SPF if you go out.

Nip + Fab Glycolic Fix Exfoliating Facial Pads are available from Boots and Superdrug.

Fudge Urban Colour Festival Pink Hair Chalk Review

Pink hair was huge in 2013, and it still shows no sign of waning. Coloured hair is still very much ‘in’. For those who want to be a bit daring without the permanence there is something new for you: hair chalk. It’s such a good idea it is hard to know why it hasn’t been invented before.

pinkhair

Fudge Urban Colour Festival Pink Hair Chalk is just a tub of hair chalk that is very easy to use. I put it on with my fingers, (they looked very fetching after. Not), and…that’s it. Pink hair. You can also make the colour pastel with the ice white hair chalk. You just mix the two together.

I have seen a lot of blonde women with this chalk and the pink is very obvious and striking. If I had layered my pink more I think it would have been much more pink; it was still obvious- and looked great-on my brown hair. It lightened it and the pink was a beautiful, if subtle, colour.

I rang 2014 in wearing the festival pink hair chalk, it is great for something a bit different and fun. It only costs £4.99 and when I ran water over it, it didn’t seem to budge, only doing so when I used shampoo. Fudge Urban Colour Hair Chalk is a ingenious little product: a great idea that works. It also comes in purple, blue and red. Available from Superdrug

 

TRESemme Platinum Strength Instant Rescue Shot Review

TRESemme Platinum Strength Instant Rescue Shot Review, hair, review, beautyMy hair always needs conditioner. Otherwise it is just like a big ball of frizz. It never used to be like that, only happening after I dyed my hair a lot in my teens (don’t do it kids). How I miss my old hair….

So now I even take conditioner with me even when I am traveling. TRESemme Platinum Strength Instant Rescue Shot is handy for this. Each tiny little tube can do 1-3 conditions depending on the length of your hair. I recently cut mine to just below my collar bone and can use it 3 time generously.

It is convenient; you only have to leave it on for 60 seconds to the most damaged part of the hair or from middle to end, it says don’t put it onto the roots but I do as my hair gets really dry and frizzy there. The world doesn’t end. In fact, it just stops the frizz.

So does this ‘rescue’ my hair? Yes. It is a good, convenient conditioner. It only costs £1.49 per shot which I think it quite reasonable. It leaves hair super-soft. It also doesn’t weigh hair down. Which, due to my fine hair, is the thing I hate most about conditioner. Very impressive.

TRESemme Platinum Strength Instant Rescue Shot available from Tesco and Superdrug

Permanent Make Up Artist Karen Betts Interview

Why are we doing an interview with a permanent make up artist you may ask. Permanent make up isn’t very ‘Frost’ usually, but Karen Betts is different. She gives the gift of confidence to those with illness. Like people who have lost their eyebrows to cancer. Karen has changed the lives of many individuals with medical permanent tattooing. See the photo below as an example. The other two pictures are Karen with Arlene Phillips and Katie Piper.

makeupeyebrows karenbetts katiepiper

When and why did you first become interested in your profession?

I personally ventured into this field in 1996 after a childhood friend was diagnosed with breast cancer. I was not content with being just a pillar of support and wanted to be able to do more. At the time I ran a hair and beauty salon and a conventional tattooist used to rent one of my rooms, I thought to myself if you could adorn people’s bodies with such complex art why could you not develop a technique that would subtly enhance or replace facial features such as eyebrows. That is when I started my research and discovered a micro pigmentation course in the States.

 

 What, if anything, has given you a competitive edge in this field?

 

My desire to always learn more, continuously develop my skills and share this knowledge with all who carry the Nouveau Contour name. I am not precious and love showing my students techniques I have developed that improve the quality of a treatment plus I am lucky to have a fabulous relationship with the manufacturer of the Nouveau Contour equipment and pigments and year on year we work together to develop and improve our products, we now have over 82 fundamental pigment colours to choose from, the largest range in the industry.

 

Describe your typical working day.

 

I am up very early most days and I do a few hours work on the computer managing my 8 brands before catching the train to one of my 3 training academies in Yorkshire, London or Milton Keynes. I absolutely hate to waste any time so once on the train the laptop is back out and I work solid until I reach my destination. I then either prepare for a training class or a full days clinic where I perform on average 10 permanent cosmetic procedures a day. Then you have guessed it, back on the laptop working on promotional plans, critical paths, training manuals, special offers, and budgets… I could go on and on but in essence I work constant all day every day until either my partner or very patient assistant shouts at me to eat something or go to bed. If there was 8 days in a week I would work them all.

 

 What do you enjoy most about your job?

 

The feel good factor you get when you watch someone’s face light up after his or her treatment is just amazing!

 

 What’s been your biggest professional achievement to date?

 

Whilst a lot of my clients are memorable in their own rights 2 clients over the last few years have really pulled at my heartstrings and tested my capabilities. The first is a lady named Julie who was born with a cleft lip. Julie’s cleft lip has affected her confidence for as long as she can remember, aware that the shape of her lip had held her back and prevented her from making the most of her life I wanted to give Julie the perfect lip shape she had always dreamed of. To restore a cleft lip using permanent cosmetics requires a real level of skill that does not come over night but I am happy to state that Julie was overwhelmed with the results and quoted “Karen created the lip shape I had been looking for my whole life”. Her smile and the big hug she gave me at the end of her treatment spoke volumes and I am not ashamed to say, made me cry.

 

The second lady many people will recognise as her recovery from a brutal acid attack in 2008 was documented in the TV series ‘Katie Piper – My Beautiful Face’. I was honoured when I was able to help Katie. Over a twelve month process, I was able to recreate Katie’s lips, brows and eye definition. Over time our personal and professional relationship developed and in 2012 I was announced as the official and exclusive permanent make-up consultant for The Katie Piper Foundation.

What advice would you give to somebody wanting to become a permanent makeup artist?

 

As Permanent Cosmetics is a very precise procedure, the need for the correct training and support is of the utmost importance. I would advise anyone considering a career in this field  to first attend an insight day if the company offers one, this gives the person an opportunity to discover:

What is permanent cosmetics?

Do I have what it takes to be a successful permanent cosmetics artist?

What are the training options?

How long will the training take and how much will it cost?

What equipment do you need to perform treatments?

What treatments can I train in?

What do I need to do to ensure I get return on my investment?

People also need to look for a company that not only listens to what they want from their training experience but whose trainers actively carry out procedures on a daily basis.

Continuous professional development is paramount in this field as techniques and equipment are improving year on year therefore people should look for training providers who offer continued learning with free workshops and shadowing days.

I also recommend that they ask themselves the following questions:

Am I prepared to change someone’s face?

Have I got the determination and drive to make this a success?

 

What skills can people learn at the Nouveau Contour Training School?

 

We offer a developmental training programme designed to turn absolute beginners into elite permanent cosmetics artists. Our foundation courses range from 8 to 31 days long and the student can choose the training option that best suits their lifestyle and financial budget. For a full explaining of our training options visit http://pro.nouveaubeautygroup.com/nouveau-contour/training-options/

 

What are the pros and cons of permanent makeup?

 

In today’s increasingly fast-paced world, it can be hard work looking our best all the time. Juggling a career with home life is tough and our appearance isn’t always a priority. That’s why each year in the UK; thousands of women and men opt for permanent cosmetic enhancements as a timesaving way to look their best with minimum effort.

 

No longer considered a treatment just for the rich and famous, men and women of all backgrounds and social standing are opting for permanent makeup procedures as a way to save time and in many cases boost confidence.

 

Permanent makeup is also ideal for people who take part in sport, have difficulty applying makeup or are allergic to cosmetics. It can also help to camouflage scarring and bring life-changing benefits to alopecia sufferers and to people who have had breast reconstruction work or have experienced hair loss following chemotherapy treatment.

 

The only downside is there is some poorly trained permanent cosmetics artist offering treatments. Research your technician and be very clear about the result you want to achieve. The main risk is choosing a poorly educated technician just because they may be less expensive. Permanent makeup should be considered exactly that – permanent. Whilst designed to fade you should always regard the treatment as irreversible and when deciding on your technician you should always research the company they trained with, the equipment and pigments they use and indeed when they last refreshed their skills. I would also recommend that you ask to view their portfolio and do not be afraid to ask if it is their own work they are presenting to you.

 

Is there any ‘look’ that you’d refuse to do? For example a very unnatural/dramatic look?

 

With permanent make up it is not about following fashion trends but subtly enhancing or replacing someone’s natural features, obviously I can improve area’s, for example, as we mature we loose volume in our lips and I can use clever shading technique to create the illusion of a softer, plump more youthful mouth, but on the whole I do not look to other people to create permanent make up looks as it is more important to understand the individual personality, lifestyle and look of the person I am treating.

 

 As well as Katie Piper, have you had any celebrity clients?

 

Over the last 16 years I have been able to use my skills to help thousands of ladies both for cosmetic and medical purposes and I pride myself on treating every client exactly the same no matter who they are or what their profession.

 

I am discreet and professional and many high profile clients come to be because of that therefore I can not disclose all my celebrity clients. However on my website with their permission you will see that I have treated Amy Child’s and her manager Claire Powell, Coronation Street actresses Sally Dynevor and Cath Tyldesley, Sugababes Jade Ewan, Olympian Jade Johnson, choreographer, TV presenter and judge of Strictly Come Dancing Arlene Phillips, Spanish model Elen Rivas, TV presenter Lizzie Cundy, TV presenter and model Sue Moxley.

 

Do a lot of celebrities have permanent makeup nowadays?

 

Yes they do and in turn these celebrities speaking out about the benefits of permanent make-up has resulted in many new clients coming to see me for a consultation/treatment for both cosmetic and medical treatments.

 

 What’s the most fulfilling thing about your job i.e. Helping survivors restore confidence

 

I feel privilege everyday that I have a skill that can help rebuild so many people’s confidence and nothing I have achieved beats the look on a clients face when I have restored a feature that they have lost through illness or an accident.

 

What’s your motto, or the key premise / message of your business?

 

My motto is always smile, laugh and try to remain positive even when things are going really bad. Life really is too short to be bogged down with negativity.

 

The key message of my business is education, education is a powerful tool and I have built my training schools on the premise that at Nouveau Beauty Group we offer long term careers not just course, we want all our students to be the best they can be and actively promote continued professional development. I have been in the beauty business for over 20 years and still do not claim to know everything, I love surrounding myself with people from other industries that I can learn from and often I implement their advise into my business model.

 

What are the advantages of permanent makeup over regular makeup?

 

The benefits of permanent makeup over conventional makeup are immeasurable, one example is in the summer when the temperature increases and makeup can sweat off or indeed wash off if you are on holiday and fancy a dip in the pool. With subtly applied permanent cosmetics designed to mimic the most natural makeup look, ladies no longer have to worry about pencilling their eyebrows back in or their eyeliner smudging.

 

I also recommend everyone to watch the video testimonials on my website as these are real women sharing their personal experience of why they opted for permanent makeup and defy anyone to not understand the advantages of permanent makeup over conventional makeup for those living with an altered facial appearance as a result of an accident or illness.

http://www.karenbetts.co.uk/