Drew Barrymore

However, that isn’t the case and actually it takes months to go from dark to light without ruining the condition of your hair.

And after 6 months of step-by-step bleaching, you may well find that hair colour trends have changed and you’ve gone off the idea of going blonde at all!

It’s necessary to have partial highlights, with frequent deep conditioning treatments in between and this makes it a long and expensive process.

So how come celebs can appear brunette one day and then blonde the next?

Well, they have to undergo a salon visit that takes many hours, with expensive conditioning treatments in between each stage of hair lightening.

Photo credit: Wikipedia

There can be up to 5 separate lightening steps and no colourist can tell you in advance how many steps will be needed for your hair colour.

Many women have tried to do the process at home and found that the end result is light copper or bright orange!

Celebrities usually only go blonde overnight it for a film role, and it’s the film company that pays the tremendous hairdressing and conditioning bill.

Redken’s Chemistry Shots

Some Hollywood colourists use Redken’s Chemistry Shots for intense hair conditioning treatments between bleaching stages.

So although Rihanna has just suddenly appeared to go blonde ‘overnight’ – it’s just somebody else’s natural blonde hair woven into her hair.

And you have to remember that film and singing stars are in show business!

We all enjoy their glamour and beauty, but much of it is an illusion done solely to entertain us.

The average brunette should be prepared to spend months with half dark hair and half lighter highlights, adding more bleach in a carefully planned gradual process by an experienced colourist.

So, if you’re keen to go blonde from a dark base colour, plan on it taking about 6 months and costing a serious amount of cash!

You may also be interested in my blog about X.Dream Cream a new super-conditioning hair bleaching product:

Related articles

• X.Dream Cream Advanced – Super-Conditioning New Bleach
• Anne Hathaway’s Gone Blonde! Check This Amazing Hair Make-Over

If you’ve ever spent time watching TV at 3 a.m., you’ve probably been tempted to buy some fairly strange stuff!

Who couldn’t use a special wrinkle-smoothing gadget for the amazing price of £29.99?

Special snail-slime creams and as-seen-on-TV products can look amazing, but are any of them any good?

Well, some are and others are not!

Lindo Twist-N-Roll Tweezers

For women with sensitive skin, this product actually is a good alternative to facial hair-removal creams and waxing.

It’s a bit weird looking, but it removes facial hair efficiently with a very simple twisting motion of the metal.

But although this product eliminates unwanted facial hair in a seconds, it hurts just as much as a wax!

Lindo Twist N Roll Tweezers

Ice pack tip

A good pain-killing tip is to hold a frozen ‘cool box’ ice-pack on the part you want to depilate – just before you apply the Twist-N-Roll gadget.

The advantage for those with sensitive skin is that you won’t get spots from the chemicals in hair-removal creams or an angry red reaction from waxing.

Lindo Twist-N-Roll Tweezers are available online from www.facialwork.com and a host of other beauty websites, for about £10.00.

Now watch this mad-looking, Stepford Wife demonstrate how it works, without letting her fixed smile slip once!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYyaMgr1Zl8

And this angled forehead drape is great for anyone with a long face shape.

Kerry Washington rocking the side sweep!

Side-swept hairstyles are great for up-to-the minute Hollywood glamour!

They let beauties like Kerry Washington wear their hair down while keeping it off the face.

How to correct a long face shape

This style is also excellent for anyone with a long face or high forehead.

The asymmetric side parting and sweep of hair draped over one side of the forehead, reduce the length of the face.

Then the natural volume provided by the defined, loose spiral waves adds width to a long face!

And it really accentuates the eyes, cheekbones and lips in a very flattering way.

But holding strands to one side isn’t always easy and hairgrips, combs or slides do tend to move or well, slide out!

Party perfect!

Last week, Kerry Washington arrived at a party with this chic and sophisticated head braid along one side, which kept her side-swept style perfectly in place!

By plaiting the hair along the hairline on one side, you get more definition to the look.

And fine hair, especially when it’s been treated with shine oil, won’t  slip out of a hairgrip or clip!

For better control, plait further around the head and secure with closed-back clip.

Trendy chestnut highlights

And the lovely chestnut highlights are one of my favourite new looks on dark brown or black hair!

They create a fantastic pattern when braided and highlight waves and curls beautifully – in a totally new 21^st century look!

Photos: Getty Images

Hourglass Lip Treatment Oil

It comes in a sophisticated, sleek black tube, with both the gold trim and the applicator tip made from 24 carat gold!

This is more than just show-off decoration, because gold has strong anti-bacterial properties, which will keep the tip totally hygienic.

Hourglass Claims

The company says that this is a lip treatment, to improve shape, volume and softness.

Ingredients

Hourglass Lip Treatment Oil reviews well right from the start.

It contains 28 different plant oils, including vanilla, rose, petitgrain, kukui nut and evening primrose.

It’s nourishes with vitamins A, B5, C, and E and also contains a plant extract called Saliporine 8.

So I like the fact that it’s a natural, plant-based beauty product giving us an excellent replacement for lanolin and petrol-based lip grease!

Research results

In clinical studies, Saliporine 8 was shown to increase skin moisture levels by up to 6,000 % when used twice a day for 28 days.

It also contains a special peptide, which in clinical studies was found to work on 69% of volunteers to improve lip shape, softness, volume and hydration!

In use

And in use, this lip treatment oil isn’t oily at all!

It glides onto lips in a rich, thick moisturising balm that protects skin from the elements.

Whilst behind the scenes it’s nourishing and building-up moisture levels beneath the skin!

If you want to boost the volume of dried out lips – I can definitely recommend this effective, new lip treatment oil.

Lip Treatment Oil by Hourglass £32 – liberty.co.uk

Leona Lewis

Anyway, as she’s a show-business professional, it’s worth hearing what she’s got to say, because beauty is something that performers take very seriously!

Moisturiser

Leona uses two of my favourite moisturisers, Coconut Oil for a smooth, shiny skin on the body.

And Aveda Moisturiser on her face, which contains natural extract from oats, which is full of beauty benefits.

Favourite make-up item

‘Mascara. I’m currently using a brilliant one by Liz Earle.’

It’s water-resistant, flake-free and long-lasting, which is essential for anyone who has to look perfectly-groomed at work!

And the special brush allows you to colour even the shortest lashes and it contains natural vitamin E.

Smudge-proof mascare is 14.50 – lizearle.com

Best skincare tip?

‘After your shower, rub coconut oil on your skin before drying.’

Favourite perfume?

‘Sunflowers by Elizabeth Arden. But recently I’ve been using Victoria’s Secret Body Mists.’

Do you diet?

‘I used to, but now I just try to watch what I eat. If you eat well, you’ll be the size you’re meant to be.’

Exactly, Leona, I couldn’t agree more!

What’s your best tip for a “fat day”?

Wear Spanx and get on with more important matters!

And remember, you’re not the only woman, or man, in the world with a little, or large, tummy bulge!

Remember Tom Pellereau, who won The Apprentice in 2011?

Well, he invented it and Alan Sugar has helped him promote it.

Stylfile Nail File

I always thought it looked like a good idea and I’ve already ordered one.

The recommended price of £4.49 has been reduced and you can now buy it for just £0.99!

These are the details:

•   S-file Nail File  is shaped to follow the natural shape of your nail

•   Great when using your other, or non-dominant, hand!

•   High quality abrasive lasts up to 12 months

•   From Alan Sugar and Inventor, Tom Pellereau, winner of The Apprentice 2011

Stylfile Nail File in Use

Tip

Buffing with the other handy Stylfile nail care tool, the S-buffer,  is great for improving the strength and appearance of  your nails.

It stimulates the flow of blood to the nail-bed, making it more healthy  and helping to produce stronger, healthier nails.

And it’s perfect for the natural or the nude nail look, too, because buffing is a way of polishing your natural nails, so they have a healthy natural colour and shine!

It scores 4 out 5 on Amazon, so it’s a popular item!

www.amazon.co.uk  -  Stylfile – S-file Nail File £0.99

Ombré on Long Hair

So here are some easy changes you can make in under 15 minutes:

1. Stop the minerals and chlorine in your tap water from fading the colour by popping a filter on your showerhead.

2.  Don’t rub your hair when washing, it isn’t necessary and it will rub away some of the colour every time.

And as your ombré hair colour has been chosen to harmonise perfectly with your base colour, you don’t want it to change to a different tone!

3. Avoid products with alcohol listed as one of the top five ingredients, you don’t need it and it will dry out your hair.

4. In the summer, always mist on an SPF for your hair, like Shiseido Refreshing Sun Protection Spray for Body/Hair Broad Spectrum SPF 15.

5. Use an at-home gloss treatment once a month, like Clairol Natural Instincts Shine – Happy Clear Shine Treatment.

It works inside damaged hair to make it lie flat and leaves a clear deposit on the outside of the hair to reflect light.

6.   Or use Headmasters Salon Experts Colour Brilliance – Brunette Gloss Conditioner 250 ml – £4.49 in supermarkets.

Headmasters Salon Experts Colour Brilliance

This is an excellent range that I would recommend.

It  nourishes deeply, locks in colour and shine and has UV filters to protect hair from going ‘brassy’.

Ombré hair colour accents look fabulous, so treat your hair kindly and it’ll retain the colour much longer!

You should also pack your wedding day beauty kit before your wedding week, so you don’t miss some of the more important items — the ones you never thought you’d forget!

Here’s a glimpse of how U.S. brides prepare for their perfect wedding to help you decide what to pack!

We’ve listed every little necessity you might need (and could potentially forget) for the ultimate wedding day beauty survival kit!

Watch the Video here:

Vincent Longo ‘Velvet Riche’ Rejuvenating Lipstick

Burberry Lip Velvet Long Wear Lipstick

bareMinerals ‘Marvellous Moxie’ Lip Liner

CARGO ‘The Reverse’ Lip Liner

Elle Extra Long Curved Bobby Pins 12 Ct

Fashion Forms® Tapes To Go

Go Smile- Touch up – Fresh Mint

Mai Couture ‘Lavender Re-Fresh’ Oil Blotting Papier Combo

NYX ‘Tea Tree’ Blotting Paper

Neutrogena Deep Clean Long-Last Shine Control Blotting Sheets

Estee Lauder ‘Mad Men’ See Through Blush

Sephora Drybar The Morning After Shower Cap

Deborah Lippmann Hand Cream SPF 25

Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat

Half-price at the moment!

Essie Nail Colour, Mademoiselle

Kiehl’s Superbly Efficient Anti-Perspirant & Deodorant Cream

Hanae Mori ‘Butterfly’ Deodorant Stick

Neiman Marcus – Sulwhasoo Hydro-Aid Moisturizing Lifting Mist

Benefit Ultra Radiance Facial Re-Hydrating Mist – Instant Re-Moisturizing Mist With Tri-Radiance Complex

Jurlique Lavender Hydrating Mist 3.3 fl oz. (100 ml)

Juice Beauty Hydrating Mist

The Great Gatsby hits the big screen this week, bringing with it all the glitz, glamour and rebellion of the 1920s flapper look!

Cutting their hair short, refusing to wear corsets and wearing lots of make-up, the flashy flappers continue to provide fashion and beauty inspiration.

Strong Lip Colours

There might be a beauty rule now that says ‘emphasize the eyes or the lips’, but it wasn’t around in the 1920s!

As Carey Mulligan, playing Daisy Buchanan, demonstrates below, darkly-lined eyes and striking red lips were a strong 1920s make-up trend.

Lips

Great Gatsby Makeup

Deep reds and plums were the lip colours of choice for 1920s flappers, painted on in a perfect Cupid’s bow.

Recreate the look by using lip liner to define the shape, before filling in with a classic, intense colour.

Eyes

Great Gatsby Makeup Colour

Tutankhamen’s tomb was discovered in the 1920s, leading beauty trends to copy Cleopatra’s famous kohl lined eyes, with dramatic eye shadow and liner.

Playing Daisy Buchanan back in 1974, Mia Farrow, above, illustrates the flappers’ smoky-eyed look.

Skin

1920s make-up was all about having a beautiful, pale and creamy complexion, with pale pink blush to define the cheeks.

Which is lucky for some of us, as summer seems to have been cancelled this year!

Here’s an excellent video tutorial showing exactly how you can get the authentic Great Gatsby Makeup Look!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvsTFUYLVE0

Greying, dullness, thinning strands and frizz are all  part of the hair’s natural ageing process, which starts in your 30s.

Almost half of women suffer hair loss by the time they’re 50, says Lisa Ishii, an assistant professor of facial plastic and reconstructive surgery.

But the good news is that experts believe there are simple ways to help keep the follicles healthy and working for longer!

Hair care tips for thinning hair

1.  If you’re experiencing hair loss, shampoo regularly with a low-pH formula, such as Neutrogena Clean Volume Shampoo.

This acts to remove the oils that build up around the follicle, which may cause vulnerable roots to shut down faster.

2.  And contrary to what some women believe, vigorous brushing won’t make you bald!

Hair loss is a problem at the root—it has nothing to do with the physical things we do to our hair.

That includes styling, straightening and colouring – so that’s a bit of very good news for us all!

3.  And eating a properly balanced diet including fruit and vegetables, is still the best way to provide the vitamins and minerals the body needs to promote healthy hair growth.