October Blog: Why You Can’t Afford To Fake It….

October 1, 2015 By Be Beautiful Hair & Beauty Leave a Comment

We all know the benefits of having some “me time”, it allows us to recharge our batteries. Many of us like to do things that make us feel good, such as having a massage, some retail therapy or getting our nails done. But how can we be sure that what we are paying for is the real McCoy and not a fake…

In a recent episode of BBC1’s programme Fake Britain, they covered a story about Shellac. Many nail bars and salons had been claiming to be offering a Shellac service, but as they discovered, not all was how it appeared. If you missed the episode, you can see it here… Fake Britain Programme; It really is worth a watch!

All of the genuine products are branded with the CND name and logo. If the products you’re seeing are not resembling any of these then you may not be receiving the genuine Shellac service.

As a qualified Nail Technician, I cannot tell you how sad it makes me, when I see and hear things like this. It gives the industry a bad name and the people within it, that work so hard for their qualifications.

I wanted to write this blog to raise awareness and show you the items you need to look out for when visiting a salon or nail bar so that you can avoid paying the price not just out of your purse, but also suffering the consequences of these cheap imitation products.

If you are in any doubt, ask to see the products, ask to see certificates to ensure that the person working on your nails is who they say they are and a qualified Nail Technician. Don’t feel you are being rude by asking, you are the consumer and with the results shown on the Fake Britain programme, can you really afford to not to?

Love, Nina x

Picture Credit: Creative Nail Design

September Blog: Bridal Make-Up Tips…

September 1, 2015 By Be Beautiful Hair & Beauty Leave a Comment

With weddings happening each and every month, “wedding season” is turning into all year round, with many Brides choosing to get married between October and March, but which ever month you choose, you’ll want your day to be absolutely perfect.

Some have dreamt of this day since they can remember, but with so many decisions to be made from choosing a venue to ordering the perfect dress, it’s sometimes hard to visualise the bigger picture.

With so many different themes now, weddings can be much more individual, really showing the couples personalities.

Aside from choosing the perfect dress, the Bride has to decide on Hair and Make-Up, two of the most important aspects of her day. Here is my guide to choosing the right look for you.

Preparation

This is so important with anything, but especially with your skin. Ensure you use a good quality cleanser, toner and moisturiser at least two months prior to your big day to ensure that your skin is in prime condition.

Make-Up Artist vs DIY

Many Brides are often surprised at how much make-up artists actually cost, however, find a good one and they are worth their weight in gold! I would always recommend a trial at least eight weeks prior to your Wedding. This will allow you to research different looks and take them along with you. Pinterest can be great for this, in fact anything Wedding related. Doing your make-up yourself can be stressful and the last thing you want for your big day is to be stressed! Make-Up Artists use professional products that are made to last the whole day, therefore you shouldn’t need to re-touch anything other than your lipstick.

Still be you!

The one piece of advice I give all of my Brides, no matter what, you still need to feel like you on your special day. Your hair and make-up should complement you and your personality, ensuring you feel amazing and confident, not self-conscious because it’s to bold.

Themed looks

Themes can be a great starting point for any hair & make-up looks and then can be built upon.

Vintage: This is beautiful and very classic, simple make-up with stunning red lips work brilliantly for this. An elegant chignon or French pleat to complement this classic look will never go out of fashion.

Country Garden/Boho: If you are looking for something more country garden then pale mochas and soft curls can be a match made in heaven. Gorgeous curls or half up, half down with fresh flowers placed in the hair can look as beautiful as a spring day.

Glamour: This is the perfect look for the smoky eye, dramatic and sexy at its best. There is a lot of freedom with hair also for this look, any up-do looks amazing with this look as well as pinned curls to the side cascading down the left shoulder.

Seaside: This look is becoming more popular with brides and depending on venue can look simply stunning. Hair can be loosely pinned so it gives the impression of done, but not overdone or beautiful beach curls can be created. Dress that would suit this look would be floaty and make-up would reflect holidays, so bronze, latte tones with a hue of gold shimmer.

Make a plan

Take advantage of a consultation with your Hair Stylist and or Make-Up Artist. They are there to help and advise you, knowing what will work for you. Regular hair treatments prior to your wedding day can ensure that it is in the best possible condition. Scheduling colour and haircut appointments is also a really important part to. Collect pictures from Pinterest and wedding magazines, these will help build up a nice collage of things you like and rule out what you don’t.

I’m proud to say that this blog also features on The Great British Wedding website as I was asked to write for them back April. It’s a great website with lots of lovely ideas, so make sure you take a look as it’s packed full of inspiration, tips and advice.

My last bit of advice is, if you feel overwhelmed by all of these decisions there are to make, take 10 minutes out, go for a walk and breathe, It really worked for me when I was planning my wedding.

Feel free to head over to my Facebook page and ask any questions or alternatively leave a comment below.

Love, Nina x

August Blog: Body Beautiful

August 1, 2015 By Be Beautiful Hair & Beauty 2 Comments

Every week, whilst spray tanning, I meet many lovely ladies and 90% of them always start off saying the exact same word. The word I hear most often when stepping into my spray tan tent is… Sorry!

“Sorry for my cellulite”, “Sorry for my fat”, “Sorry for wobbly bits” and the list goes on, but I always say to them what I’m saying to you, I don’t see what you see. I know that it’s the least favourite part of the treatment, getting half naked in front of a stranger, making you feel extremely vulnerable and exposed… I know this because I have done this many times too.

But what absolutely makes my day every time is to see the difference on my clients face afterwards. When they step out of my spray tan tent, naturally and beautifully bronzed, their reaction is priceless!

Whenever I am tanning, I always say to my clients, wear whatever you are comfortable in. If you want to wear a bikini or swimsuit, that’s fine. If you want to be topless, that’s fine too, it’s about making you feel comfortable and at ease.

I will always remember a lady, who physically shook with fear at the thought of being naked. As we chatted, she mentioned to me she felt so insecure about her body, that she wouldn’t even get undressed in front of her husband. It made me realise that this was such a big step for her and I could tell that her confidence was at rock bottom. However, it meant a lot that she trusted me enough to let me show her that she would look and most importantly, feel absolutely AMAZING!

Anyway, we completed her tan and WOW, the difference in that lady, was incredible. Her husband came home from work, she walked up to him and said “look at me, I feel amazing!” I honestly believe that a spray tan does so much more than just give you a natural glow, I think it’s also got a large helping of confidence within it too!

So ladies, if this is resonating with you, I am here to tell you, you are not alone! We all have “bits” about us we don’t like, but like many of us, this lady felt the fear and did it anyway! (Amazing book by Susan Jeffers by the way, which is well worth a read!) From time to time, we all see pictures in magazines and the media, and think we should all be like that but what many of us forget is, celebrities have lots of money to have liposuction or tummy tucks and many of the pictures are often airbrushed!

What I’m trying to say, is love you for you! You are unique and that’s special! We have one body and we need to love the skin we are in. Of course, we do all we can to look after it and eat well, but we also need to enjoy life as its often way to short. Don’t apologise to me for your body, you are beautiful just the way you are!

If you want a confidence boost or to find out nine other benefits of having a spray tan, then why not check out my 10 Benefits of a Spray Tan page!

Remember, be kind to yourself and love you for you!

Love Nina x