There’s a 10 per cent discount for those enrolling at the Bronwyn Conroy School of Beauty on its open day on July 23rd. Temple Hall, Temple Road, Blackrock, Co Dublin
AT YOUR SERVICE: Your questions answeredBirthdays greetings
Q. I have invested in a long, one-shouldered silk jersey dress to wear at two upcoming social events, a wedding and a party to celebrate my 30th birthday. It’s a lovely cornflower blue shade and I’d like to wear a strong colour on my lips and nails, but red seems too wintery and I’m not sure about pink – help!
A. As the dress is in a “statement” shade, you will need to balance the lip colour to compliment, rather than compete with it. Red lipstick is great, but I prefer it worn with neutral shades to allow it take centre stage. A fuchsia pink would work with the blue, but beware, it’s a full-on fashion look, and both wedding and birthday photos will be around for posterity. The perfect choice is a pinky coral, a beautiful balance for the shade of your dress, with enough definition and brightness for summer. Smashbox’s Limitless in Guava will tick all the relevant boxes. It’s a fresh shade packaged in a clever double-ended unit. You fill in the lips with the felt-tipped end and then seal in the colour with the emollient balm at the other.
It's lashing
Summer is a time to lighten up on make-up, but don’t ditch key items such as mascara, which adds defininition to eyes if you are giving coloured shadow a holiday. There is but a handful of brands that produce mascaras that take lashes to another dimension and Dior is certainly one of them. Its latest offering boasts a battery-operated revolving wand – hence the name Diorshow 360 (€38.50) – that coats lashes all the way round. Lash expert Rebecca McManus gives the lowdown: “I found Diorshow 360 mascara easy to use, with no clumping or smudging. It really lengthens lashes, giving an almost false-eyelash effect. Although it stays on very well, it’s easy to remove, even with make-up wipes. I loved that the revolving brush can turn clockwise or anti-clockwise so you could use it in either hand. It is definitely the best mascara I have ever used.”
Birthdays greetings
Happy 30th: The Body Shop
The original ethical beauty brand introduced us to body butters and strangely shaped wooden massagers in 1981. We’ve come a long way since then, but the feel good factor and the reasonable prices have not diminished. Check out the daily treats, with a different product reduced by 30 per cent each day until the end of the month.
Happy 50th:Elnett hairspray
I sympathise with the competition as this iconic hairspray has never been bettered. Excellent hold is delivered in a fine mist without a trace of “helmet head” hardness, and if you change your mind it can be brushed out easily. The retro gold container adds a touch of old-school glamour. Widely available, from €3.69.
Happy 100th:Nivea
The little blue tin with its distinctively scented cream has graced many a dressing table and was the first moisturiser for many a gal growing up. The first product successfully to combine a water-in-oil emulsifier, the colour of the formula was so pure that it gave the name to the company, from the Latin “snow white” or Nivea.