Ladies, it’s that time of the year again, a day some of us love, and others dread. However like it, or loathe it, February 14th is upon us…
For some, Valentine’s Day is an excuse to remind your nearest and dearest just how much you love them, and very importantly, vice versa. It presents an opportunity to spread the love and indulge in the commercial ploy of corny cards, gooey chocolates and blooming red roses - I mean come on ladies, we all love an excuse to be pampered!
For single ladies out there who are yet to have a ring on it, Valentine’s Day is a great excuse to get together with fellow singletons for a raucous dinner party or a night on the town, and you never know, true love might just be around the corner.
Whether your single or not, Valentine’s Day should be celebrated regardless; it’s a day for love after all. So spend it with those that you adore, doing what you do best.
Here at The Salon Look, I have put together a Valentine’s ‘how to get ready guide’, because love isn’t easy, and sometimes neither is getting ready! Preparing for a night of amore, whether it’s cocktail-fuelled with the girls or over a romantic candlelit dinner for two, it should be relaxing and pleasurable, and preferably with a glass of fizz in hand. So crack open a bottle and lets get started...
Here are the products I recommend to create the looks you love:
Body
Thalgo’s Polynesia Relaxing Scented Candle is the perfect self-indulgent treat. With soothing scents of the Pacific Ocean, this candle will send you into a heavenly relaxation – think beach, think getaway… It will create an idyllic start to your evening and will ensure your stresses are left behind.
Moisturise your skin with Evo’s Self Indulgence Body Crème, an all-natural moisturiser that will leave your skin feeling silky and smooth. Treat yourself to a Thalgo Melt-Away Skin Mask to help make your face feel fresh and pure.
The Salon Look’s Top-Tip: For silky, soft, smooth looking skin we recommend Thalgo’s Exotic Island Body Scrub - a luxurious formula made from Bora Bora sand, sea salt and coconut shell leaves you feeling refreshed and revitalised, and with a sudden urge for a beach holiday!
Hair
At some point in our lives, some more so than others, we have dreamt of becoming a super model. Even an invitation to walk down the catwalk would suffice. However, although we aspire to their perfect slender figures, it’s the hairstyles we all want.
There is nothing more attractive than gorgeous glossy locks. Bouncy, voluminous, beautifully primped and styled so that it flicks and swishes with in line with you every move. In our books, having great hair is the key to a lot of things, and Valentine’s Day is no exception!
I suggest you start with opting for S-Factor’s Smoothing Shampoo and Diamond Conditioner; a couple of my favourite products that are guaranteed to leave your hair feeling heavenly. They’re great if you’re after silky, soft hair with a lustrous shine. Scented with Asian pear and papaya, a quick wash with these two will leave you smelling dreamy all night.
The Salon Look’s Top-Tip: Remember, your hair needs some loving too! Therefore, I suggest you try Kevin Murphy’s Masque of an Angel for hair that could do with a bit more TLC on Valentines Day.
Face
When it comes to Valentine’s Day make-up, I believe that less is certainly more. What I’m about to show you is one of my favourite looks, a fresh face accented with classic black winged eyeliner, finished with that seductive red lipstick. And let’s be honest, it wouldn’t be Valentine’s Day without vibrant red lips!
The Primer – prepare your skin with Thalgo’s Source Marine Perfect Glow Primer. This will ensure your makeup stays flawless for longer – just what we like to hear, right ladies? This product is practically made of miracles; it blurs wrinkles, minimises the appearance of pores, as well as creating an even complexion ready for the rest of your make-up.
Foundation - choosing a foundation can be tricky at the best of times, but during the winter months as our skin becomes paler and drier, picking the right product is essential. L’Oreal’s True Match Foundation is truly amazing, and with 20 highly pigmented tones you will be sure it provides excellent coverage that add to your natural complexion.
Eyes
The winged eye was practically invented for Valentine’s Day. Whether it’s a flirty-yet-subtle flick, or super-sexy Angelina-esque, it’s been our secret weapon since the reign of Cleopatra, making it a guaranteed winner!
There’s something rather seductively intense about a great winged eye, but often leaves you wondering how did they get it so perfect? Here at The Salon Look, we recommend L’Oreal’s Super Gel Liner in black - easy-to-apply gel eyeliner, with an accompanying wand that eases the process in creating those sexy swooshes.
The Salon Top-Tip: For winged eye newbies out there, we suggest tracing the outline of your desired wing by applying L’Oreal Paris Infallible Eyeliner first, before redefining with L’Oreal’s Super Gel to complete the look. This also creates the much-desired smoky eye effect.
Finish off with a flick of Maybelline’s Colossal Cat Eyes to curl, define and all importantly volumise those lashes. Perfect finish to a Valentine’s Day look - Flutter-tastic
Cheeks
It’s evitable not to blush on Valentine’s Day as your lover gazes at you with his adoring eyes, or as you look upon the new Fifty Shades of Grey movie. However, add to your natural look and brighten your rosy complexion with a simple shimmery blusher that does veer too strong for your complexion. Remember less is more – blusher can immediately transform tired, sallow-looking skin, minimising that all-important radiance that is essential for Valentine’s Day.
Lips
Draw attention to your puckered lips with a bold red lipstick, which is every girl’s necessity for Valentine’s Day. It’s the ultimate beauty essential and is also a great way to dress up any outfit. Don’t be afraid to get adventurous with your shade choices, after all it is Valentine’s!
The Salon Look’s Top-Tip: Finding the perfect red lipstick can be tricky – if you have fair skin and pink undertones, opt for a cooler, blue-based red. However, if you have a more olive skin tone, try a red lipstick that has orange undertones.
So pucker up your lips, flutter those eyelashes and remember to twirl to allow yourself to be admired from every angle as your hair swooshes’ with your every move.
Happy Valentine’s Day ladies!
