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06/26/2018

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HAIR TALES

2018 Bridal Hair Trends

I just love a wedding, and I can honestly say that I am never more honoured than when I am asked by a bride-to-be to make her look fabulous on what is one of the most important days in her life.

For those readers who may not know, I am well established in the bridal Industry.  I head up the prestigious bridal team at Michael Van Clarke, and have had the opportunity to work with many brides-to-be – including a sprinkling of celebs – in creating a hair style that makes them look and feel amazing on their big day.  I am also priveleged to be invited to regularly style the hair for the bridal runway shows of some amazing designers such as Jenny Packham, and to contribute to Conde Nast’s Brides magazine, providing them with comment on upcoming trends.

So I thought it might be useful if I were to share with you the bridal hair trends that I have seen coming through for 2018 in the hope that it might provide inspiration for any brides-to-be out there.

The first thing to say is that 2018 has been a very interesting year when it comes to the hair trends on the runways of the bridal shows.  Looking at shows from the likes of Zuhair Murad (here), Carolina Herrera (), Elie Saab (here), Jenny Packham (here) and Berta (here), we can see that the designers are shaking things up and showcasing some new and exciting hair!

One of the big tips I can give for brides of 2018 is to not be scared to experiment with their hair.  Obviously, a stylist’s first priority should always be to work with the bride to focus on complementing her dress.  But during this exciting process, here are some of the trends we are seeing coming through for 2018 that you and your stylist might like to play around with for your big day:

Plaits, Waves & Texture

This is one of the biggest trends we see for 2018, and it’s a versatile one that you and your stylist can experiment with.  What I mean by this is that you can have your hair either high or low by adding a plait and really pulling it out; the same goes for adding in waves/texture too.  What I particularly love about this trend is that it can add an ethereal and even quite dramatic look to the bride.  For 2018, texture is definitely key, and you can go as dramatic or as low-key as you like with it.

 

High Hair

Another big trend on the bridal runways is very high hair.  Now this is one of my favourite styles because it really elongates the face, showing off the bride’s beautiful neck and I think it’s really sexy, but also girly and fun.  I am a firm believer that a little bit of cheekiness on your wedding day is really important!  So don’t be afraid to lift up your hair to really open up your face to show off all of your fantastic and beautiful features.

 

American Chignons

Now I know high hair is not for everybody.  So perhaps the American Chignon is one to consider.  For me, this style is super classic and elegant.  I always remind clients that the more classic they go with their style, the more timeless their photos from the big day will be – and wedding photos are going to be with them long after the wedding!  If this is too classic a style for you, work with your stylist to add texture with a bit of a wave, or make it a little softer by having pieces of hair falling around the face.  Doing either or both of these will add interest to the final look.

 

 

Ribbons

Another huge trend coming through is the use of ribbons.  Instead of more classic jewelled head-pieces, we are seeing the use of, for example, velvet ribbons.  I think this look is such a statement, and I love it when clients come to me, requesting a big pony-tail for the reception, which I love finishing with a velvet ribbon.  It gives such an elegant and under-stated but really impressive look!

Personally, I love any type of accessory in the hair.  However, if you want to be bang on trend for 2018, you might like to consider accessorising with ribbons as an alternative to anything jewelled.  If you choose to go down this route with your stylist, my advice is to make it velvety, make it lush, make it inviting and make it sexy!

 

Rapunzel Plaits

Now we may have seen this trend on the bridal runways, but I think the jury is still out regarding whether we will actually start seeing clients requesting this style for their wedding.  For me personally, to carry off this look, you must be either a very editorial bride, or wearing a dress that is very simple and plain to really make this hair work for you.  If you are a bride that wants to keep their dress very simple, but who wants to make a statement with their hair instead, this is the look for you.  I love this look and there are different variations of this style that you can use to work with your dress.  It needn’t be overly dramatic and can be softened with the pinned hair up and twisted around more gently to create less of a statement or editorial look.

 

My thoughts…

Now if the above trends do not appeal to you, and you like your hair to be flowing, don’t be afraid to experiment with having your hair down, and to play with different textures through it.  Here are a few options you might like to consider:

Half-up-half down (…as I like to call it)

I think this look is stunning and definitely one to consider if having your hair up completely is not for you, and you like your hair to be loose and flowing.  For a finishing touch, this style looks great when dainty flowers, such as Gypsophila, are woven into the hair.

Low side-plait

I recently created a look for one of my clients who did not want her hair up by plaiting it to one side to produce a beautiful shape through the lengths.  It tumbled down one shoulder and looked absolutely stunning on her.

Centre-parting

If you want to show off your stunning features, but do not want to have your hair pinned up and off the face, my advice would be to consider a sleek centre parting, with the hair pulled back off the face and tucked behind the ears.  One of the things I will often advise my clients is that ears are the ornaments of youth and they should not be afraid to show them on their big day.  If we take a look at celebrities on the red carpet, they rarely have their ears covered and will usually have one or both ears showing – precisely because it looks youthful and fresh to do so.

One of the styles I love on my clients is to tuck the hair behind both ears and to give the hair at the back a slight wave.  This is a look that is popular with the likes of Kendall Jenner and is so elegant and sexy, it is also perfect for your evening celebrations!

My final thoughts…

I think so much time can be spent on the planning of the weddings that a lot of brides become so stressed on their wedding day, they find it hard to have fun.  So my advice is to have fun experimenting with your hair, your makeup and your wedding dress in the run up to the big day, and to really make them work for you.  And then when you arrive at your wedding venue, forget about it, have a shot of tequila or a glass of wine, dance with your partner and enjoy the party.  If you have a good team around you, remember you have nothing to worry about!

So I hope the above provides you with some inspiration for your big day.  I would love to know which of the trends appeal to you, so please do let me know in the comments below.  Or tag me in your photos (put your Insta tag in here) so that I can share your fabulous creations!

 

I hope this helps you find the perfect style for your wedding day. If you have any questions or want advice, please let me know.

 

Gx

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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06/08/2018

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HAIR TALES

Best Budget Skincare: NIP+FAB Dragons Blood Fix Hyaluronic Shot Review

As the years tick on, I don’t mind admitting that I am on a continual quest to keep my skin looking youthful and the best that it can be.  The key for me is therefore really good skincare.  Like many, however, I have been guilty of assuming that if a product is more expensive, it is more likely to deliver results.  I have therefore spent an eye-watering amount of money over the years on luxury brands such as Sisley, La Prairie and Natura Bissé.  And, yes, whilst I shudder at the hole they have left in my bank balance, I have found some amazing products within these ranges, which I would – and have – highly recommended to those who have the budget for them (see my reviews here and here).

HOWEVER, more recently, beauty bloggers – such as the excellent Caroline Hirons (here), Nadine Baggot (here) and Stephanie Nicole (here) – have switched my focus from a product’s price-tag to a product’s ingredient list.  This has led me to do a bit of research into drugstore brands that bring great ingredients and formulations at a more affordable price point.

Enter NIP+FAB, the drugstore sister to the luxury brand, Rodial – both founded by Maria Hatzistefanis.  Now for those who do not know Rodial, they are an excellent brand that I have found to work well for my skin.  So of course I was intrigued to start digging around in the NIP+FAB line to see what I could find that might work equally well on my skin, but without leaving such a dent in my wallet!

Taking a look at the ingredients, and knowing what has worked for me in the past, I was immediately drawn to their Dragons Blood Fix Hyaluronic Shot.  This is because the product contains not one, but two ingredients I find to work wonders on plumping up my skin: Hyaluronic Acid and Dragon’s Blood.  Both are great at hydrating the skin and this serum did not let me down!

Since discovering it – and I am now on bottle number three – I can safely say that this is probably one of the best serums I have used on my skin in a long time!  You use it morning and night, two pumps into your moisturiser, and that’s it.

It has worked marvels on my skin.  For instance, I used to have light texture between my eyes on the forehand, and this has now gone.  My fine lines are plumped and my complexion is glowing.  And the best part?  Although this product retails for £24.95 in the UK (in the US), it can often be found on offer in the drugstore, such as Boots, for as little as £12, making it well worth the investment!  I would not be without it now, and it has single-handedly turned my skin around.  Highly, highly recommended.

In the UK you can find it here , and in the US, here

 

Happy anti ageing xxx

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04/25/2018

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HAIR TALES

Can Supplements Help With Hair Growth: My Take on the Tati Halo Beauty Drama

 

 

 

My take on the Tati and Halo Beaty drama over whether hair supplements really can make your hair grow faster. 

Hair has a very simple composition – it’s 97% protein and 3% water. Each hair has about a 3 to 7 year life span depending on age and genetics and it grows through three distinct phases: Anagen (where the hair is actually growing), Catagen (where the hair follicle prepares for the transition to the resting phase, this takes about 7-14 days) and finally Telogen (where the follicle rests for between 3 and 4 months, at the end of this phase older hairs are shed to be replaced by new ones).

Once the hair pushes free of the follicle, it is actually dead – there is nothing more that can be done with diet that will improve the health of the hair, that would need to be done manually with treatments and avoiding products that negatively impact that 97:3 blend of protein to water within the hair (for example anything with silicone or dimethicone).

The rate at which our hair grows through those three phases is purely down to our genetics, some people will have a longer growing phase or have hair that grows marginally faster than others, but changing the rate you are naturally able to maintain by taking supplements is just not a reality. 

It’s not all doom and gloom though, because what you can do with supplements and good diet is improve the health of the follicle, giving the hair the best health possible while it is still inside the follicle gives it the best chance of not breaking prematurely.

Look for products high in vitamins B, A and Biotin. My favourites are:

One other thing to watch out for is the impact of stress on your hair. When the body is stressed, it effectively shuts down non-essential systems, meaning the blood flow to your outer skin is reduced, diminishing the nutrients available to the hair follicles. This is why hair can actually fall out because of stress.

In today’s stressful world, it’s all the more important to keep up our nutrition levels to ensure the body has sufficient available to keep our skin and hair looking lustrous. Try introducing things to your diet like Avocado and Salmon which are high in essential fatty acids.

So there you have it – my thoughts on what you can really do with hair supplements. Don’t forget to like and subscribe to get more content like this.

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04/13/2018

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HAIR TALES

How to make yourself look good.

Want to look fresh and bright, glowy and radiant every day in spite of the daily assault on our skin – working hard, gym, socialising, they can all take a toll on our skin, and as men we often think that using make up will leave you looking like you’re wearing make up, when in fact there are loads of great products out there that can be used to create a perfectly natural look, just you on your best day!

To keep the look clean and avoid any oiliness or caking, all the products I am going to talk about are liquid rather than powder based, which is great for if you rock the stubble or beard look like me.

So here’s my make up routine for looking fresh after a long day before heading out for the evening!

To start off, make sure you’ve washed and cleansed the skin and followed up with a good quality moisturiser. It’s really important to start with hydrated skin. https://gustavfouche.com/2018/04/06/do-you-want-to-look-young-forever/

I’m going to work on getting rid of the dark circles around my eyes, a few blemishes here and there and generally make me look radiant, just enhancing my natural skin.

Start with a just a dash of the primer, worked lightly all over the skin. I’m using Prime Time from Bare Minerals – BB Primer Cream (SPF30)… it’s very light, allowing the skin’s natural pigment to come through. 

Next I use just a tiny bit of concealer under the eye – the Bobbi Brown Pro Kit in a light tone just dabbed lightly under the eye and worked in to cover a little more of the dark circles.

Moving on to foundation – I use the Bobbi Brown 4.5 stick, lightly applied with the tip of a finger over any area that you feel needs it most. I’d apply it around any imperfections in pigmentation and a little around the concealer to help ensure it is blended seamlessly. The idea here is that it shouldn’t be possible to tell that I have make up on.

I love creating a subtle but impactful eye, nothing too much, just enough to make the eyes “pop”. I’m going to use the Studio 10 pencil in a light tan colour to draw just inside the water line to make the eyes appear wider and more awake and if, like me, you have redness in the waterline this neutralises it so well. For me, no eye make up would be complete without a dash of Chanel. I’m going to use the Chanel eye liner which I use through the lashes rather than on the outside of them, this makes the lash line look really thick and lush without being too obvious. And to finish, I love (mis)using the YSL Touch Eclat highlighter just on the inside of the eye to open them up even more.

Now for the lashes… If you’re going for a really natural look, you could visit your beautician to have your lashes tinted or lifted, I personally use both and can highly recommend it. For me though, I’m going to go ahead and use eye-lash curlers – as scary as they look they really lift the lash out and away from the eye, I’m also going to use Mali mascara (though I love the Clinique one too). I put the mascara wand right at the root of the lash, wiggle just a little and draw out to the edge to avoid any of that clumpy look you can get with mascara.

So that’s it – my natural look make-up. Even the longest day at work can’t stop me from looking fresh faced and ready to start all over again!

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04/06/2018

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Do you want to look young forever?

As a fond follower of all things fashion and fabulous, I know how important it is to take the best care we can of our skin to keep looking fresh faced and youthful.
Stay tuned for my own daily skin care routine.
Over the years I have tried many products, ranging from traditional to cutting-edge and through all price points with varying degrees of success. When you’re making your product choices I can definitely recommend ensuring that the ingredients in the product are of a high quality.
So what do I recommend?
Natura Bisse Cure Serum – Perfect as a night time treatment to freshen the skin, even after a great night out you look clear and bright in the morning.
Natura Bisse Diamond Extreme Eye – I love this product. Unlike some eye creams, this soaks in so easily and leaves the skin feeling plumped and hydrated.
Kiehls Reviving Concentrate – I always try to avoid using products with any silicon derivatives in them, and this is my absolute favourite as an alternative to a regular cream based moisturiser. As a dry oil you need only a few drops to moisturise the whole face, and you can really feel the skin just drinking it in.
Repêchage Hydra 4 – pure hydration, I apply this at the end of my skin care regime to lock in all that lovely moisture.
Tips for applying eye-cream:
The skin directly under the eye is very fine, so eye cream should be applied with a light dabbing motion using the ring finger along the cheek bone line. As the product soaks into the skin, it will travel upward towards the eye through the fine skin. No more tingly eyes as your eye cream travels!
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03/19/2018

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Sun damaged hair

 

Hi there, and welcome back to my channel!
Growing up in sunny South Africa I used to love being outside soaking
up that glorious sunshine… as we all know *now* though, the sun can be
damaging to our skin.
But what about our hair? Should we be concerned about sun damage?

Absolutely!

In today’s video I’ll talk about how the sun’s rays can damage our
hair, and what that damage means for those of us with colour treated
hair, and how we can protect ourselves from the sun and keep our hair
healthy and looking just gorgeous.

I’ll show you a couple of my absolute favourite products for sun
protection a bit later so stay tuned for those, but for now – what
actually happens to hair when it goes in the sun?

I often talk about how important hydration is for keeping hair healthy
and feeling fabulous. But the sun’s rays can have a seriously drying
effect on the hair

It’s all down to how the hair holds on to moisture. Cuticles that run
the length of the hair that ordinarily hold onto the moisture are
damaged by the sun’s UVA and UVB, meaning they open up and lose their
moisture, drying out the hair.

Have you noticed your hair feeling drier in summer? Do you have any
favourite tricks for keeping your locks looking luscious when you’re
out in the sun? Let me know in the comments below.

Hydration aside, even the colour of our hair can suffer from being out
in the sun. Unlike our skin which turns darker as we tan in the sun,
our hair is bleached by the sun making it turn lighter. And this
bleaching effect increases as the cuticles of the hair open up more.

Colour treated hair often has the cuticles of the hair left open,
making them even more susceptible to being bleached by the sun.

What can you do to protect against the unwanted changes in colour of your hair?

Well – here are my absolute favourite products for protecting your
hair from the sun’s damaging rays.

As always, these really are the products I use, I’m not endorsed so
you’re getting my honest thoughts. I’ll add links to them both in the
info below

For me, you can’t go wrong with either the 3 More Inches Lifesaver
Spray with UV Protection or the Philip Kingsley Sun Shield.

Both can be applied to either wet or dry hair and left in without the
need to wash it out. Not only do they both protect against the UV in
sunlight and salty sea water, they can also be used as a styling aid
by scrunching into the hair to leave a really sexy wavy Giselle
Bunchen kind of beachy look.

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02/22/2018

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My top products for a perfect blow-dry

 

Hi everyone and welcome back to my channel.

Last week I was talking about the blow dry, my salon secrets for getting a beautiful blow dry every time and really making the most out of your drier. Today we’re taking that further and I’m going to share with you my absolute favourite products for keeping your hair healthy, feeling full of body and looking just fabulous.

When I’m blow drying my clients’ hair, there are three things I I look for in the products I use.

  • One: Heat protection – over dried hair doesn’t just lose its natural shine, it’s more brittle and prone to breaking, and that will just not do.
  • Two: Body – even on the finest hair we can still choose between sleek and big bouncy blow dry finishes
     
  • Three: Hold – once we’ve got the perfect look, we want it to be held in place all day but don’t want to lose movement in the hair, no one wants to look like they’ve got helmet head!

So what products do I rate and recommend? Well, these three are my absolute favourites that I use day in and day out. As always – my videos aren’t sponsored and these are really the products I love to use. 

First things first – heat protection. For me, The L Oréal Tecni ART constructor spray is just perfect. It’s a thermo active spray that has a medium hold in it. Spray onto the hair while it’s still damp and run it through with your fingers, then you’re all set for the drier. The heat protector in it helps prevent your hair from losing too much of its internal moisture as its dried, so it’s great for those of us who are using heat on the hair every day and with its medium hold your blow dry stays in place for much longer.

Are you using a heat protector at the moment? Let me know in the comments below!

Now for body. I love using the 3 More Inches thickening spray. For fine hair, it’s great for adding a bit of extra bounce throughout the hair, it even works well for those with thicker hair to add a bit of volume to the crown. Just spray it into the roots of still damp hair in one inch sections then massage through to get an even coverage. It does have hold in it, but it keeps the hair feeling light so it won’t feel as though it’s got too much product in it.

Do you have a favourite thickening spray? I’d love to hear your recommendations too in the comments below!

With healthy, heat protected hair looking just gorgeous with the perfect body, how do we keep the look for as long as possible? I always recommend my clients use the GHD Final Fix spray. It does have a strong hold, but it has a soft touch finish so the hair still has the ability to move and it can be restyled and set back into place throughout the day. Keeping that movement in the hair is essential for a style that feels natural – gone are the days of those solid, fixed blow dries of old!

So there we have it – protection, body and hold – my three recommendations for a beautiful, healthy and long lasting blow dry!

I hope you’ve enjoyed my video today. Subscribe to my channel for more of my salon secrets and recommendations. I love to hear how you’re getting on with your styling and any questions you may have in the comments. Don’t forget to share with your friends, see you next time!