Top 10 Tips On How To Look Amazing In Pictures

Here is my definitive advice to all of you wanting to get amazing images every time no matter what. It’s all about angles and lighting. Here I will share with you a my top tips.

This will help you when you need a go to quick fire list to remind you. I have been a photographer for many years and grew up in a house with a darkroom and studio. My father was a photographer and artist. My mother was a model, so you can see where I get the passion for fashion, style and photography from.

Along with my main job as session nail technician, its all about creating amazing images. My desire to write for you guys comes from a need to help others. Be it beauty advice, great recipes or fashion and style inspiration. Its also a little photography outlet for myself and my husband. All the articles I write need pictures and what better way to get creative than set up little shoots for each and every one!

How To Look Good In Pictures

Top tips on how to look amazing in pictures.

 

  1. 1. Wear clothing that you feel amazing in. If you know your going out and having tons of pictures taken throughout the day or night its important to feel good from various angles. If you hate your upper arms then wear a dress that hides the tops of the arms. You will instantly feel more confident. Or failing that dash out and purchase MAC Face & Body. Most makeup artists I work with use this for runway shows, magazine shoots and editorials. I own a fair few bottles in different shades and its my best buddy if my arms are looking a little blotchy or pasty. Our secret ok!
  2. Invest in the best underwear. Tight and ill-fitting garments just look terrible, especially if shot from behind. Purchase t-shirt bras and seam free pants. Nude is always best in my book. Yes I do own rather a lot of Bridget style pants and I’m not ashamed to admit it.
  3. Don’t use a flash. Natural lighting is always best. I totally hate flash photography when done the wrong way. It can make makeup and clothing look terrible, whats worse.. when food is involved. Don’t do it…Whenever I ever see that dreaded flash go off snapping a beautiful plate of food I die inside just a little every time!! Turn it off and see how it looks. Yes I know there are times when your in a dark restaurant…Then that is telling you its not appropriate. If you really need to snap your food, then go out mid afternoon!
  4. Cloudy days are actually perfect for portrait photography as the sky has a natural light diffuser.
  5. Always turn to your side as this will create a softer prettier look for us girlies. If you need to lift an arm and place it on a hip do so.
  6. Use sunglasses, bags or a hat if you don’t know what to do with your hands.
  7. Practice posing in the mirror. It sounds narcissistic but it will help you the more that you do it.
  8. Always wear heels as this will create confidence.
  9. If you are having your picture taken from the front tuck your arms into your sides as this will create a longer leaner frame.
  10. Lastly Smile. Even if your not looking at the camera. You might look a little crazy but when the images come through you will look radiant and stunning.

NSpa Mum To Be Nourishing Stretchmark Oil Review

NSPA Mum to Be Nourishing Stretch Mark Oil

nspa is an exclusive skincare brand available at Asda.com. They have a Mum To Be range which includes a Nourishing Stretch Mark Oil. It retails at £6 and it’s enriched with sweet almond and jojoba to moisturise and nourish. I have had some stretchmarks for a while now and they really annoy me. I used nspa Nourishing Stretch Mark Oil twice a day. In a few months they do fade. The oil absorbs well and I really like the smell. Overall I am impressed and would continue to use it.

I would buy nspa Nourishing Stretch Mark Oil. It is only £6 and works well.

Hydropetide Product Review

I was asked to do a Hydropetide Product Review recently. I was lucky enough to be sent a few items to try out. And they have become my go to face care over the last 2 months. Now you all know I try all sorts of beauty products being in the professional industry. I won’t just do a review after 2-5 days either. I like to give the product a chance for my skin cells to catch up. You need around 28 days to really see a difference when using something new. This is the length of time it takes for the skin to renew itself from base layer to the dermis. Samples of things you get in Boots or drug stores really are only to check that your not allergic to the products. So don’t be disappointed if that new cream doesn’t preform as well as you think it should. Their are 2 main factors to this…One is the reason I have explained and the other is that the strength of over the counter skin care is usually like making a cupa with a tea bag that’s been used 10 times or so!!! So watered down its no wonder those wrinkles aren’t vanishing faster. Pro products are always a better investment.

First up is Solar Defense, it’s a broad spectrum sun protector. This basically means it has both UVA and UVB filters. UVA’s are the nasty rays that age the skin and UVB’s are the ones that will burn. In turn if you burn their are further UVC Rays that harm the skin in the form of cancer. So ladies and gents wear a broad spectrum factor cream every day of every year. Come rain or shine. I’m always told my skin is perfect…Well it’s a combination of a healthy diet, loads of water and incredible skin care.

Hydropetide Product Review

Solar Defence glides on and its consistency feels slightly grainy at first but then the micro beads burst delivering its benefits to the skin. It blends and self adjusts to the natural skin tones you already have. It is quite frankly amazing. It smoothes out the completion and flawlessly covers the skin all ready for your foundation. It also contains anti inflammatories and antioxidants. This will help you fight the horrid signs of ageing and be your new best friend I can assure you of that!

It’s a non-greasy oil free sunscreen packed with moister. Really rich in protein and it also helps to decrease the secretion of oil that can build up though it the day. You know that shiny lack lustre appearance you might get mid afternoon, when all you really want to do is reapply your foundation once again.

With is skin adjusting properties it perfectly camouflages mild hyperpigmentation and redness. It creates a perfect even, flawless, matte finish. Containing Aloe, niacin and hyaluronic acid it perfectly balances hydration. In turn it transforms fine lines and wrinkles. Now that’s what us women in our 40’s really need.

Eye Authority cream immediately brightens any dark circles you may have and it softens expression lines. It will decrease wrinkles and lastly it helps banish puffiness. Phew that’s a lot to expect isn’t it. But after using this for 6 weeks I can honestly say it works. Now my first impression of this was a little different…it irritated my eyes. Yes I’m honest with you all. This was in fact all my own fault. You need the smallest amount and one tube should actually last you 6 months. The rate I was putting it on it would have only lasted me all of 3-4 weeks!! Less is more in this case! It contains Hesperdin known for its warming and circulatory benefits. Hence the eye irritation after applying a large pea sized amount around each eye! I have noticed (after using a 1/8 of a pea size little drop to each eye) a lift to my eyes and my dark circles are a thing of the past.

It contains 13 different peptides and a small amount of HA (hyaluronic acid) that perfectly hydrate the eyes. Normally you have to avoid using HA around the delicate eye area as it will cause puffiness. HA holds 1000 times its body weight in water so it’s really hydrating and can plump out the skin. Perfect for the face but not around the eyes. Eye Authority has just the right amount that smoothes out pesky fine lines perfectly without causing eye make up to crease or feel heavy. Just don’t use too much! Both products are firmly in my bathroom cabinet and will be I feel for a long time! They have an extensive range of lifting products I’m keen to review now after finding this brand.

 

Joan Collins Timeless Beauty Lipstick & Nail Lacquer Review: Marilyn And Evelyn

joancollinslipstickandnailpolishreview

Joan Collins is synonymous with glamour. She harks back to a time when movie stars would never leave the house without their hair and makeup being done, and certainly not in sweatpants. This glamour is evident in every aspect of her new makeup range, Timeless Beauty. The packaging is classic and sophisticated and many of the colours are full on glamour. We previously reviewed her Helene lipstick and nail polish. This time we went for some pink shades.

Evelyn is a hot pink coral shade which makes a statement and Marilyn is an easy-to-wear pink shade: perfect for daytime. The lipstick is creamy and hydrating. Impressively, it lasts for hours without the need to reapply. The amazing lipstick is like skincare and brilliant lipstick all rolled into one. Moisturising, vibrant and long lasting: what more could you want?

The Nail Lacquer is great, it is also long lasting and high quality. Just two coats gives a great, shiny, opaque look. It goes on smooth and lasts a long time. Impressive.

The lipstick costs £18 and the nail polish is £12.50 at www.QVCuk.com and http://www.joancollinsbeauty.com

Madame LA LA West Coast Bronzing Face Serum Review

Madame LA LA West Coast Bronzing Face Serum ReviewNot all fake tan is created equal, in fact, too many of them leave you looking orange and smelling like a biscuit. Not so Madame LA LA West Coast Bronzing Face Serum. It smells divine and gives a brilliant bronzed look, all whilst infusing the skin with goodness.

It has a thick consistency and a little goes a long way. It is easy to apply and although it is a tinted formula, it gives a dark and rich colour. It gives a beautiful, deep, sun-kissed look. It is not only an amazing bronzer, but it also leaves skin hydrated and noticeably brighter- we love it.

Brilliant stuff available from feelunique.com

What they say:

Madame LA LA is an American-Brit self tan and skincare brand inspired by LA, Malibu beach, the Hollywood lifestyle, wellbeing and modern tanning. West Coast bronzing serum is a new and innovative instant self tan pick-me-up for the face, producing an LA-worthy glow. Infused with Coco Water & Green Tea to hydrate and brighten. Antioxidants Vitamin C and CQ10 combine with Vitamins A, E to protect skin and fight signs of ageing, boosting cellular renewal and collagen for a smooth complexion. The easy-to-apply tinted formula adapts to all skin tones and develops gradually. The serum can be used day or night.

 

 

Get your skin Crystal Clear in time for Summer

Get your skin Crystal Clear in time for SummerThe new Crystal Clear Ionic Sonic Cleanse Kit, designed to clean, smooth and hydrate skin like never before, is launching on Ideal World TV on Tuesday 9th June at 5pm.

The kit, available exclusively throughout June from Ideal World TV, allows you to achieve a bright and glowing complexion in two simple steps.

Using specially designed silicone bristles to help deep cleanse the face and body, it combines the advanced technology of ultra-sonic motion with a negative ion charge leaving your skin pure and toxin-free!

Available from Ideal World TV for £79.99, the kit comes with a cleansing gel, polish and moisturiser, giving you a spa like experience for a fraction of the price!

The Crystal Clear Ionic Sonic Cleanse Kit is available from www.idealworld.tv, Sky channel 654, Freeview 22, Virgin 747 and Freesat 812

 

 

The Rise of The Fat Supermodel: Is The Fashion Industry Embracing Plus Size Models?

When it comes to the fashion industries obsession with waif like models, times they are a changing…well maybe just a dress size or two.  In recent months the industry has seen a sidestep in to the usually unmentionable world of FAT!  Several leading modelling agencies now have dedicated plus size divisions, recognising the huge surge in popularity of plus-sized fashion bloggers and Instagrammers.  According to Public Health England, two thirds of people in the UK are overweight and are in need of taking better care of their health.

The rise of the fat supermodel-  Is the fashion industry embracing plus size models?

Candice Huffine became the first plus size model to feature in this years’ Pirelli calendar, has graced the front page of Italian Vogue, and has appeared in i-D and Harper’s Bazaar

Tess Holliday’s huge social media following, helped get her signed to modelling agency MILK Model Management who now have a separate division, Curve, which is dedicated to plus size models.

Advertisers using slim models for their ‘health’ campaigns have been heavily criticised by the public and media alike. Protein World’s infamous Are You Beach Body Ready? poster campaign backlash is a prime example of this shift in attitudes towards the ideal female body.

We asked Dr Marilyn Glenville, Nutritionist, women’s health expert and author of Fat Around the Middle: How to Lose That Bulge – For Good  for her thoughts…

areyoubeachbodyreadyadvertcontroversy

How difficult is it to maintain a super skinny body shape and still be healthy?

It is very difficult if not impossible to maintain a super skinny body shape and still be healthy.  And for women it is important not to lose too much fat, because then periods will stop and it can affect not only fertility but also increase the risk of problems like osteoporosis because the woman has lost the protection of the female hormones.

 

Do you see women who struggle to lose weight more regularly now?

Yes.  In my clinics in Harley Street and Tunbridge Wells, I frequently see women who struggle to lose weight.  Most of them just want to be a healthy weight and to have a way of eating that becomes a way of life rather than being on a constant diet or having to do fad diets.

 

Many women I see also want to change their body shape as well as lose weight as they know they are carrying too much fat around their middles which increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, cancer (especially breast cancer), heart disease, Alzheimer’s and high blood pressure.

 

Do you think the fashion industry should embrace models who better represent today’s average British woman?  

I definitely think the fashion industry should embrace models who look like the average British woman.  It makes it easier for the average woman to relate to the clothes that the model is wearing and more likely to want to purchase them.  If the model is super thin, then the average woman will think they can’t possibly attain that without starving themselves and knows that it is just not realistic for them.

 

Can you be healthy and bigger?

This is really dependent on body fat percentage rather than weight.  A person’s weight cannot differentiate between fat and muscle and an athlete and a couch potato can have the same Body Mass Index (BMI – a ratio of height to weight) and yet have a completely different percentage of fat and muscle.

 

A woman can be bigger and healthy if she has the correct percentage of body fat (25-31%). Too low, it risks her periods stopping, infertility and osteoporosis, too high then it risks heart disease, cancer and Type 2 diabetes.

 

Want to shift some pounds naturally?

 

Dr Marilyn Glenville (www.marilynglenville.com) has joined forces with luxury health spa Champneys.com, to deliver a series of very special women’s wellbeing weekends this year.  These very special one and two day retreats are led by Dr Glenville herself and offer natural solutions and insight into four significant female health issues; Fat Around The Middle, Digestion & IBS, Menopause & Osteoporosis and Fertility.

 

 

Purepotions Scar Oil Review

scars, stretchmarks, beauty, review, rosehip, oil, miranda Kerr, Rosehip oil has been known to heal scars and stretchmarks for a long time now. Its celebrity fans include Gwyneth Paltrow, Victoria Beckham and Rosie Huntington-Whitely. Supermodel Miranda Kerr says: “Rosehip is full of antioxidants and really works to rejuvenate the skin.”  She is not wrong. With that in mine we tried Scar Oil with Rosehip 50ml, £18.99 from Purepotions. 

 

The oil is rich in vitamin A, vitamin C and the essential fatty acids omega-3 and omega-6. Vitamin A is known to promote healthy skin cell rejuvenation, so it’s great for skin damaged by scarring. The Vitamin C in rosehip oil reduces the appearance of dark spots and aging spots. The powerful moisturising effects of the oil are ideal for dry or mature skin, which can help reduce the appearance of wrinkles.

 

Purepotions is made from 100% natural and organic ingredients to help soothe and repair skin in a completely natural way, with no parabens or perfumes.   The original skin salvation intensive moisturising ointment is suitable for people prone to eczema, dry itchy skin, psoriasis, dermatitis or for any little skin emergency.

 

The original Skin Salvation was first developed in Natalie Balmond’s kitchen 12 years ago, after she found that absolutely nothing would help her daughter’s eczema. She started to read up on herbs and traditional remedies to help with skin problems, and with much determination and experimentation, she developed a natural salve.

 

Made with oils, herbs and essential oils, it became an overnight sensation with people in the UK and around the world inundating her with emails and letters saying how effective it has been.

 

What did we think? We were very impressed. It does fade scars and stretchmarks. Add in the fact it is handmade and 100% natural and we really are fans. Frost loves….