Put a plum in it!

It seems like everyone is going crazy for plum, first of all Cheryl Cole shows the world how she has de-WAGed her look by swapping her highlighted extensions for a new plum colour and then Peaches Geldof announces her new plum do with the aid of twitter. Although both hair-dos have received mixed reviews from the fashion brigade the WAG and the rock chick are bang on trend with the autumn collection.

The girls in the HQ office reckon Sharon Osbourne must be delighted, she has been pushing the plum look for years and finally she’ll have loads of products on the market to support her plum locks! HQhair’s make-up expert, Jasmine says, “Plum hair is actually a really versatile colour to match with make-up, like Cheryl you could wear pearly pink colours or alternatively you could go down the more traditional root and match a plum hair-do with darker reds and purples like Peaches”. Jasmine recommends checking out the brand new NARS Fall collection which we should have online next week, “I’m really excited about this collection, the colours are going to be perfect for Autumn!” In the mean time we recommend you take a look at DuWoop’s eye palettes as they have some great Autumn browns.

Grunge: its back!

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• That’s right folks: holes in your leggings, hair over your face and Nirvana on your i-pod, that is what you have to look forward to this autumn.
  
  
• Grunge lover, model Alice Dellal (pictured) sports the updated version of the grunge look with a partly shaved head, wavy locks, dark red lips and smoky eyes. If you’re anything like us then you’re probably not too keen on busting a hole in your Topshop jeans, so why not ease yourself into the grunge look with adapting your hair and make-up. We’re not suggesting you shave a bit of your hair off like Alice but it might be fun to experiment with different grunge options. You might as well, the grunge look is going to be pretty hard to avoid this season. Check out our suggestions below to get the grunge look!

Key ingredients to the grunge look include:

• black/dark red nail polish: Nails Inc, Nars or Bourjois
• smoky eyes: Too Faced
• dark red lips: Paul & Joe
• hair and lots of it: Rockaholic

Sadie Frost: Looking fabulous in her forties!

Us girls in the HQhair office are so impressed with Sadie Frost’s bikini body we felt obliged to blog about it!

The 44-year-old mother of four has been snapped looking toned and radiant whilst on holiday with her family in Ibiza. These photos have emerged in the same week that it was announced Jude Law, Frost’s ex has fathered another child with 24-year-old, American actress Miss Burke.

Wearing a tiny black bikini on a beach in Ibiza, Sadie’s looks have obviously benefited from her new clean lifestyle, it has been reported that Sadie has given up the boozy nights she was once so well known for.

HQhair’s beauty expert Jasmine says, “Sadie looks fantastic in her bikini, she has obviously been working out at the gym. Getting back into your bikini can be a really daunting thing, especially if you are in your forties. There are a number of great firming and toning products on the market that can help tighten loose skin and most importantly boost your beach body confidence! Check out Bliss’s ‘fatgirl’ range, they have a number of products to reduce lumps and bumps!”

SIENNA LOVES....

No, we’re not talking about Sienna Miller’s latest boy-candy we’re talking products of course!

The gorgeous blonde Brit actress told In Style magazine that she simply can’t live without Nars Bronzing powder. Sienna uses it everyday to give herself a summery glow all year round and when she has to go brunette for a film role she uses double the amount!

Sienna found her favourite moisturiser by accident when her sister, fashion designer Savannah was pregnant and left her mama mia super-rich body cream at Sienna’s house! Even though it has been designed for pregnant women Sienna loves the natural oils that target dry skin!

Love HQhair

xoxo

Carrying off Casual

Statement make-up and big, sexy hair has never been so important. This year saw the comeback of the oversized tee, worn with skinny jeans, denim shorts or leggings this casual look requires bold statements in the make-up and hair department to transform the baggy look into a chic, stunning ensemble.

HQhair’s resident make-up expert, Jasmine says “When you’re wearing a plain outfit it is so much easier to experiment with bold make-up styles. Red lips look great with a plain outfit, I strongly recommend NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil, it is a bit like a mix between a pencil and a lipstick and you’ll find that it lasts all day! Why not try it in ‘red square’ or ‘cruella’.

Natalie Wansbrough-Jones, Elle’s Fashion Director is pushing denim as the key autumn ‘must-have’, “classic, versatile and inexpensive. Denim is every girl’s great wardrobe secret”. Whether you prefer to don shorts, jeans or shirts it looks like denim is making a big comeback, not that it really went away. “Hair can really make or break a simple outfit”, says Jayne, HQhair’s resident hair expert, “when your clothes are casual there is a lot more emphasis on bold hair styles. Blonde hair looks great with blue denim, so why not enhance your golden locks further with Redken Blonde Glam Shampoo? The grapefruit extract helps to bring out bold blonde tones while the Crystal Mica adds shine!” Check out how our cover girl is donning the look, baggy black top, vintage jeans and a gorgeous pile of blonde hair tied up on her head. “This look will require a lot of hair spray” Jayne says “I recommend Hard Head Hairspray by Bed Head.”

So why not shake-up your hair and make-up with big bold statements, and just think with all the money you have saved from wearing your dad’s baggy t-shirts and last year’s denim you will have tonnes to spend on the best new hair and beauty products!

Love
HQhair
xoxo

New Mum To Be

I’m excitedly expecting my first baby and I know that means I should be thinking sweet thoughts but I draw the line at smelling like a chocolate bar.

I was recommended cocoa butter to keep my growing bump stretch mark free. True, it’s very moisturising but the sickly smell really got up my nose on the tube each morning and added to that lingering queasy feeling.

Since hearing my baby news my friends have been fantastic and given tonnes of good advice and baby stuff but probably the best thing so far is the Mama Mio Congratulations Kit. Far from blooming, I was feeling fat and frumpy and it was so lovely to get something pampering and all for me!

I shower daily which can be quite drying but the Moisturising Shower Cream leaves my skin feeling soft and smells lovely and citrusy. The Super-Rich Body Cream soaks in to my legs, arms, hands and feet really well and hasn’t irritated my sensitive skin. But the ‘piece de resistance’ has to be the Tummy Rub – I love it! Now that I’m 28 weeks pregnant I’m using it twice a day on my belly, boobs and bum. It’s like massage oil and my other half has even been happy to rub it in! The baby wriggles around and seems to enjoy it too.

Maybe I’m a sucker for stylish packaging and a quirky marketing style but the products do feel luxurious and are such a nice contrast to the rounds of unglamorous blood tests and peeing into little pots.

I suppose the best judge is what my skin’s like. I may be gradually popping out of my everyday clothes but, thank god, I’ve yet to develop any stretch marks. I’m going to carry on using the creams and oil and have just bought the Mama Mio Boob Tube as well. It promises to stop my chest from going south – let’s hope it works too!

Love Annette x

Friends For Life!

I recently started dating again and my new 'boyfriend' if you could call him that yet, has asked to meet my friends. I thought nothing of it until my older smug married sister asked which ones I was going to let off the leash. Apparently it is not au fait to introduce him to my wild, wacky, stay up all night and do the walk of shame to the office friends.

No, Amelia says if I want to make a good impression, if I want him to think I am a girl that he does not want to let get away, the first friends he has to meet are the trusted, loyal, dinner and after eight mint friends of mine. The ones I have known since school. The ones I can trust won't throw up on him, or make him do karaoke on the first night, or talk about my hilariously awful exes. My good old devoted friends who will big me up, make me look superb and make him feel like perhaps he is not so worthy!

And this started to get me thinking about make up... Whilst I love new, colourful crazes and trends it's always good to have those dependable make up items to hand. Ones you know you can pull out of the bag when you really need to make that great first impression. I suppose another way of looking at it is what would you be gutted about if you lost your make up bag? The pea green eyeshadow that works so well on a crazy girl's night out, or the expensive rose tinted colour cream that makes you look so naturally glam and always gets the compliments. So here is my list of trusted 'friends'. Ones I know will never go out of fashion and will be with me until the end.

These are my friends for life!

Nars Oil Free Foundation
Becca Beach Tint in watermelon
Benefit High Beam
Bare Minerals Eyeshadow in adventure
Stila Multi Effect Mascara
Chantecaille Le Stylo

Love Kat xxx