healthyliving

Valentine’s Date? My style & beauty tips to make you a total knockout!

~ fiolastyle ~ Leave a comment

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Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you would be well aware that Valentine’s Day is very soon indeed. If you are planning on celebrating this most romantic of days, with a hot date, then you might like to follow my easy and quite frankly, last minute Valentines Day prep steps! Don’t worry, it’s not too late.

Valentine’s day is the perfect excuse to make an effort, and look your most gorgeous. Follow these simple steps to be a total knockout, but in a no fuss, not overdone kind of way.

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1. Body Glow. You will need super sexy, glowy skin if you are going to really look your best, so get scrubbing! I find the best way to get really smooth, exfoliated skin is by using an exfoliating mitt or glove in the bath or shower. Lather up and use gentle circular motions from your feet to your neck. Alternatively use a good body scrub in the bath or shower. Once you are super smooth, if you are on the pale side, or simply want to boost that glow, apply a self tanner. For the best DIY, I recommend either St Tropez mousse or Loving Tan mousse. Apply with a tanning mitt, and you’ll be tanned and super sexy in no time.

2. Make sure that your face and décolletage are looking their best. Exfoliate with a gentle exfoliating scrub, such as Dermalogica’s multi vitamin thermafolient, which I personally use and love. Apply a good mask once you have exfoliated. I currently use Dermalogica’s skin refining mask, because I like clay masks, but use whatever suits your skin type.

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3. Choose your outfit, and try it on. For this occasion I recommend a dress that is effortlessly sexy,  feminine and flattering. I think it’s nice also to wear something pink or red, but that’s just me, so wear any colour you feel good in. Remember, you don’t want to look like you’ve tried too hard, this look is all about effortless romantic beauty. Keep accessories feminine and minimal.

I recommend you do steps 1, 2 and 3 the day before Valentine’s Day.

Getting ready on Valentine’s Day

Once you are showered and moisturised with clean washed and towel dried hair, the fun can begin!

First step is your hair. I recommend you keep it looking pretty natural, so if its long, then I suggest blow drying it and adding some romantic waves or loose curls and some volume. Always a winning look. Alternatively, or if it’s shorter, then I would keep it sleek and straight, adding some sweet smelling shine serum to give it mirror like shine. Whatever look you decide for your hair, just remember to keep it romantic and soft looking for this occasion.

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Second step is make up. This look I have chosen is really easy to do, and very minimal. A super natural look. It’s great for day or night. Start with a well moisturised (not sticky) face, and apply a good primer, such as autopilot by Napoleon.

Apply a concealer in the places you need extra coverage, such as under the eyes, and around your nose, I love YSL Touché Eclat. Next apply Nude by Nature natural mineral cover all over your face (including your eyelids) with a large kabuki brush, adding as much as you need. Then, apply a pinky blush to the apples of your cheeks, for a rosy flush. I love Chanel’s powder blush in 64 pink explosion. Now it’s time to highlight and contour a little bit. Using a bronzing powder ( I use Chanel) simply add some definition under your cheekbones, around your hairline and under your jaw line. Keep the application light. Then add a pearly pink toned highlighter such as NYX liquid Illuminator in sunbeam, to the highest point of your cheekbones where the light hits and also under your brow bone.

On your eyelids, take a light pink, shimmery powder such as Bourgois pastel eyeshadow in rose innocent, and cover the eyelid in this colour. Blend well. Apply mascara, I love Dior’s dior show mascara.

Finally add a pretty pink gloss to your lips, such as my new favourite, Revlon’s colourburst in 58 bejewelled. It’s just the prettiest pale pink!

Now, add some shimmery body powder or lotion, get dressed, spray on your favourite perfume (mine is ‘Always Yours’ Romance by Ralph Lauren currently) and you are now ready to go!

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I hope it’s your best Valentine’s Day yet!

Yours Truly,

Fiola

xoxo

My top 10 simple and effective health and beauty secrets revealed!

~ fiolastyle ~ Leave a comment

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1. Drink water! Yes, it works better than any other single thing you can do! 2 – 3 litres a day is perfect. As soon as you wake up drink 1 – 2 glasses of water to start your day. You’ll quickly (within a couple of days for me) notice the health and beauty effects. Add a squeeze of lemon juice for added health and beauty benefits.

2. Sleep. So Important. Try to get at least 8 hours of quality sleep each night, and yes, the hours before midnight count! Make sure your room in cool and dark.

3. Exercise regularly (at least 4 times a week). Walk, run, practice yoga, hit the gym, swim, whatever you like doing, just get your blood flowing. The health and beauty benefits are endless! (toned body, glowing skin, better moods etc)

4. Eat healthy, fresh and preferably organic foods everyday. Load up on raw and fresh fruit and vegetables in every meal. Avoid processed food. Notice clearer skin and mind and overall improved health.

5. Sun protection! I wear high factor spf sunscreen EVERY day, no matter what the day holds. It’s just a standard part of my morning routine. It helps prevents premature ageing and skin cancer. Just do it.

6. Invest in the best quality skin care products that you can afford. Find a routine that works for you. I recommend cleansing, toning and moisturising twice daily (including sunscreen in the morning) and trying to use products that are as natural and high quality as possible. Learn to relax, take a soothing bath, get a massage, have a facial. Whatever it is remember to take time out to pamper yourself.

7. Avoid alcohol. Sorry, it’s not what most people want to hear, but if you are serious about your health and beauty,  keep away from it. I drink alcohol on special occasions, but in general I keep drinking it to a minimum.

8. Learn to love tea! Green tea, rooibos, white, black, herbal. It’s all good, and full of antioxidants. Find one you love, and make it a daily ritual. The added bonus is a reason to invest in pretty porcelain tea sets! (Just remember that most tea contains caffeine, so use moderately, and consult with your health care professional if you don’t normally have caffeine)

9. Don’t ‘overdo’ your makeup and hair. Natural looking is always best in my opinion. (I didn’t say don’t wear makeup or dye your hair, I just said keep it looking natural!)

10. Be positive, focus on what is good in your life. Work on the negatives. Always try to be kind and thoughtful. Treat others the way you want to be treated. Remember your manners. Good manners go a long way, and always get noticed!

I hope you learned something from my simple tips, these pieces of advice are purely from my experience of what works for me, and although I can’t imagine any of it could be harmful to a person in good health, please always check with your health care practitioner before embarking on any different or new health/diet or exercise routine to make sure it is safe for you.

xoxo

Fiola

Pastel Perfection. How to wear pastels like a pro

Link ~ ~ fiolastyle ~ Leave a comment

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Hi, welcome to my first blog post! I’m so excited to start sharing with you all the things that I love.  It was hard to know where to begin!

I thought I would start by sharing with you one of my forever obsessions…pastels. I love to wear them, and feature them in my home. They give a soft and sophisticated vibe, that is very feminine and classic as well. My lifetime love affair with pastels has really become one of my style traits. A trademark of sorts. My go to. Being so drawn to these shades may have something to do with my star sign being Libra but more on that another time!

Pastels, people either seem to love them or hate them, often I believe wrongly thinking that they can’t wear them. Truth is, pastels are universally flattering. Sure, not all pastel shades will look good on everyone, but everyone can find at least one or two pastel shades to compliment their skin tone, hair colour and style. Remember, pastels cover a wide array of colours : pink, blue, mauve, green and yellow and shades in between. So many choices.

Right now pretty sorbet shades  are very much ‘in’ and are everywhere, but I have always felt and will always feel very partial to pastels regardless of their seasonal popularity. I love mixing them up with white or greys and black. I wear them in all seasons, they make me feel like, well, me! My absolute favourite pastel shade is pink. I adore this colour. It’s well known by all those that know me!  People frequently say that pastels suits me, and I agree, yes, they do! However, I sincerely believe that anyone can look great in pastel shades. Yes, anyone! The trick is not to overdo it. Balance is key, feature a couple of pastel items in your look, for example a pastel pink midi skirt and pink soft leather bag, with a fresh white top and grey or black accessories. Or, if your a little dubious, even start off with a feature pastel accessory instead, such as a pair of pink pastel pumps!

Of course, the last few seasons have featured an abundance of icy and delicate shades of pink, blue, green, yellow and mauve , so as you can imagine I have been seeing so much in stores and online that I love, so many pretty pastel items that I want!

I have a golden rule though, only buy things you truly love. If it’s love, it’s love! Just make sure it’s something beautiful and well made that will stand the test of time.

My wardrobe mantra is always quality over quantity.

So, go ahead, if you haven’t already, dip your toe into the world of pastels!  You’ll thank me later!

xoxo

Fiola