Friday, 9 December 2011

Little Preparations

Lets get this weekend off to a glamourous start with a few holiday season essentials.


Sparkling white teeth are definitely in order this season, especially as hopefully you will be spending most of it meeting up with friends and laughing together. This product is amazing and finally available in the UK.  Get your hands on some this Christmas and your teeth will love you forever! 


How about some big holiday hair, whether your locks are all the way down your back or a little above your ears you can always add a bit of height and a bit of glamour with a set of velcro rollers, some teasing and a quick spritz of make-up artist favourite, Elnett.


A perfect manicure, this is something I personally strive to have all year round (most of the time I cheat and have a gel manicure as it lasts about three weeks!). As a make-up artist its nice for the person in your chair to see the hands touching them are well looked after.  The winter is good chance to embrace the deeper colours out there, this, by Essie is my favourite winter red.  Polish your nails, it really finishes your look.


Finally as you are dashing out the door have a spritz of something delicious.  My signature scent is Chloe as it smells divine (obviously!), it works in all seasons and it transitions perfectly from day to night.
(image via)

Do you have a signature scent? meticulous pre-party preparations? 

Have a glamourous weekend everyone! 

Thursday, 8 December 2011

Wang-tastic



Alexander Wang you just keep bringing your A game when it comes to lust worthy arm candy!  Sold.

Coming up holiday season beauty essentials.

Tuesday, 6 December 2011

Festive Fishtail Braid


Fishtail braids look so complicated.  They are not! They are beautiful to look at, make you feel polished and together and are unbelievably simple to do.  Firstly, if you fancy, put a little bit of teasing in at the crown this is just to give some height and a nice silhouette to your final look. Then separate your hair roughly into two sections.


Take a small strand of hair from underneath one section and hand it over to the opposite section and then repeat the same process on the other side, continually passing a little piece of hair from underneath over to the other side and joining it into the original bunch.  The bigger the strands you pick the larger the, erm..scales? (yuck) in your fishtail braid will be. Keep doing this all the way down, easy huh?


Its even easier, if your hair is long enough to bring in front of you over your shoulder and braid downwards.  Keep repeating this process until your plait is the desired length, band up the end and you are ready to roll.   


I like to deconstruct this look a little bit and pull it apart with my fingers.  This makes the style a little more casual. (On the other hand you can really slick this do down and make it look super edgy and warrior like).  

Add a pout full of red lipstick and get your Christmas cocktail on!

(Thank you again gorgeous Leslie and Kye Corfield for his awesome photography skills! X)

Do you have a signature hairstyle? Do you have any plans for your hair and make up this party season? 

Don't forget to follow on twitter @56toRivington - Enjoy! 

Monday, 5 December 2011

Setting the tone...Blush



1) Pretty interior inspiration
2) Philosophy Amazing Grace £19.00 ($29.00) found here.
3) Topshop -Vintage style hexagon studs £7.50 ($12.00) found here.
4) Kozyndan Bunny Blossom limited edition cushion £45.00 ($70.00) found here.
5) Cute illustrations and a fun story for the little people you might know, found here.
6) Lady Ga Ga, Viva Glam - M.A.C. The full RRP less VAT going towards the M.A.C AIDS Fund, a treat with a purpose.
7) Stunning Chanel tweed blush £.29.00 ($45.00) found here.
8) The perfect Christmas gift idea £950 ($1490) or not! found here.
9) The perfect Christmas gift for me!  £499 ($783) found here.

Wednesday, 30 November 2011

Mmm...Miette

On our road trip stop in San Francisco I was lucky enough to be staying almost next door to this charming place. Where I sampled it's delicious peanut butter cookies.  I just stumbled across this gorgeous video of the founder Meg Ray explaining the history of her pastry shop Miette.

A little something sweet for this chilly afternoon in London.


(video via)

You can purchase the cookbook right here, What a lovely Christmas gift for the pastry aficionado in your life.


Monday, 28 November 2011

In the style of...

Scarlett Johansson



Sometimes a cover comes along and it throws me through a loop.  I love this look on Scarlett Johansson created using Dolce & Gabbana.  It is all about perfect skin, contrasting colours and is simply divine.

There is nothing stopping you heading straight to your nearest Dolce & Gabbana counter and scooping up the whole kit from them, but lets have a go at recreating this look on a bit more of a budget.

(image via)

Scarlett's eyes are emphasised with a teeny tiny whisper of eyeliner along the top lashes, just enough to connect the roots of the lashes defining the shape of her eye. Try this Mabelline gel eyeliner which is around £7.99 ($12.00) that comes with its own brush.  Use this technique to apply the product trying to use as little as possible. Add one coat of black mascara and the smallest hint of a line along the outer corners of the lower lashes. I would be inclined to use an angled brush, and a powder eyeshadow to achieve the soft smudge along the bottom.

(image via)

Try the black in this palette, it is such amazing value at £6.49 ($10.00). Made by a company called Sleek, the pigment in the product is fantastic and the array of colours available are incredible for the price.

For your lips you need to find a vibrant, shocking pink, matt lipstick in a shade that suits your skin tone.  Apply some colour to the tip of your ring finger and dab lightly on your lips blotting on a tissue as you go, this creates the gorgeous "kissed off" look that Scarlett rocks effortlessly.  How about this, again from Sleek, priced at a recession busting £4.00 ($6.00) you can experiment with a whole new lipstick wardrobe!

(image via)

This is such a gorgeous look and is well suited to the holiday season.  And if you are feeling daring why not go the whole nine yards and have a go with this. (Try and see beyond the ridiculous CGI hair on the box if you can!).
(image via)



Wednesday, 16 November 2011

What's The Skinny?

Great skin is something that virtually everyone I know is trying to achieve and maintain and why not?  It gives you a real confidence boost when it looks smooth, clear and hydrated.  Although I am a firm believer in looking after your skin from the inside (fresh ingredients and plenty of water, blah blah blah!).  I am always searching for the perfect combination of products and gadgets to help my cause from the outside.

(image via)

I had read some great reviews about this product, the Clarisonic, so as soon as I could get my Sephora fix in the USA I had bought one of these babies to take out for a test run.  I decided to go for the most compact version in the range of the three available called the Clarisonic Mia.  It. Is. Amazing.  My skin has never felt so clean and flawless.

(image via)

If any of you have a sonicare toothbrush then just imagine its big sister ready to give your face the clean out of its life!  It works with a teeny drop of the cleanser that you already use and the Mia gets going on a one minute cycle of sonic vibrations that opens your pores, clears them out and refines them, it removes all traces of make up and visibly reduces any fine lines. Phew. All that in one minute.  


(image via)

The next step up is the Clarisonic classic which has three different speed settings, although the Mia is more than enough for me.  And then there is the Clarisonic Plus which is the big version that comes with a body brush programme and attachment.  Perfect for skin buffing to aid circulation and cellulite reduction or any fake tan prep you might do.   All of these products have interchangeable brushes which come in normal, sensitive, delicate, deep pore and body.  I use the normal one at the moment and I cant fault it.  My skin is apparently loving being so cared for.

(image via)

And look, it even comes in a ton of different colours to match your bathroom decor, if that's the type of thing that floats your boat.  And for the guy in your life the cliche manly grey!  Incidentally I insisted my man give it a whorl and he was suitably impressed with the results and if he had his own I'm sure he would use it.

(image via)

This piece of pampering kit doesn't come particularly cheap, they start at about £75.00 ($119.00) for the Mia, but give yourself a treat or put it on your Christmas wish list and I promise you, you will not be disappointed with the salon facial-esque results this will give you.

The other piece of skin beautifying kit I got my hands on in the States is the tanda Zap.  I sometimes get breakouts and hate the idea of putting harsh astringent chemicals on my skin and I really, really hate the idea of taking any prescription drugs in order to clean up the problem.  So I am always on the search for the miracle cure without going to see a dermatologist.  This little product is proving pretty efficient at some serious breakout busting.  

(image via)

It works on the basis that the very strong blue light is placed over the problem area as SOON as you feel a spot about to appear,  I will let the guys at tanda Zap explain:

Blue Light: 414nm blue light works by producing oxygen singlets which attach to the P.acnes bacteria (acne-causing bacteria). These singlets have a phototoxic effect on key porphorins, causing the P.acnes bacteria to self-destruct
Sonic vibration: Increases microcirculation to reduce swelling and inflammation while agitating the skin to expose more of the bacteria to the light
Gentle warming: Produced by the light energy, opens pores and allows the light to reach more bacteria.
Scientific I know, makes sense, yes, does it work, you know I think it does! I have used it religiously on every break out since I have had it and it has definitely kept the spots from developing (gross I know but we are all friends here!). It was $49.99 in Sephora (about £32.00) and so far it seems to do what it promises.  I will certainly keep you posted if that changes anytime soon.
So these were the little technological skincare gems I discovered on my travels.  Do you use either of these? Do you have any fail safe products you use for pimple control?