How To Get A Perfect (Girl) Shave

Now that summer is upon us

and legs and bikini lines are once again being bared

here are 5 steps to a perfect shave:

image from glamour.com

1. Before you start

Wait a good 3 minutes in the shower so the warm water can soften your stubble, but don't wait beyond 10 minutes as the skin will have swelled and you will no longer get a close shave.

2. Use A Shaving Cream

Apply a really thick coat of a shave cream that contains aloe or mineral oils to protect the skin.

A good coat of shaving foam also makes your razor glide more smoothly.

3. Know Your Direction

Work against the direction that hair grows on your legs, but for the bikini line go in the direction of the hairs.

When shaving under your arms you need to work in the multiple directions that hairs gow.

4. Use a 5 Blade Razor

Use a 5 Blade Razor such as Gillette Venus Embrace for a sleeker, smoother shave, 

and change out the blades frequently to prevent infections.

5. Moisturize

Step out of the shower and straight into a luxurious, thick and creamy body moisturizer.

Moisturize before your skin is all the way dry, to lock in the moisture.

To get really super-smooth, toss the razor and get laser hair removal...

The Top 5 Manicure Wreckers

I actually found this in an old issue of Allure Magazine,
but as I've been wearing bright nail polishes instead of my usual french manicure, I thought it was pretty pertinent.
I added some of my own opinions to the list....

There are several common offenders that prematurely wreck your manicure. Here are 5 of them:

1.) Doing dishes without wearing rubber gloves to protect both your nails and the skin on your hands.



2.) Alcohol
Constantly applying hand sanitizers erodes the top coat and dulls your nail polish.

3.) Texting!
Each keystroke is a tiny trauma to the nails. 
The iPhone keypad is ok though? Surely??

image from mrssplapthing.blogspot.com

4.) Folding Laundry
When its hot out of the dryer. The heat softens the nail polish and fades the color. Same goes for cooking over a h ot stove.

 





5.) Scrubs.
Exfoliators not only remove dead skin, but also break down your nail polish. So either avoid them, or wear gloves when you exfoliate.  

The Eternal Muses ~ Elle Denmark

So much to love here!

Brilliant Danish photographer Signe Vilstrup and her team of

stylist Dorothea Gundtoft, hair stylist Mette Thorsgaard

and makeup artist Anne Staunsager have recreated

the timeless elegance that defined some of the most

iconic women in recent, and not so recent history

for this visually spectacular story for Elle Denmark.

Eternal Muse, Elle Denmark

From Coco Chanel to Bianca Jagger, Grace Kelly to

Marie Antoinette, Frida Kahlo to Edie Sedgewick,

these women were immediately identifiable,

and their looks are still both current, and oft emulated today.

Models Maria Palm, Julie Rode, Anne R and Therese

brings these stories to life.

The Eternal Muses   

The Eternal Muses, Elle Denmark

The Eternal Muses, Elle Denmark

The Eternal Muses. Elle Denmark

The Eternal Muses, Elle Denmark

The Eternal Muses, Elle Denmark

The Eternal Muses, Elle Denmark

Th Eternal Muses, Elle Denmark

The Eternal Muses, Elle Denmark

Eternal Muses, Elle Denmark

Naomi Campbell for Vogue Brazil May 2013

Lord, but she is magnificent!

The one and only Naomi Campbell has not one but three

shoots in the new issue of Vogue Brazil.

 

Naomi Campbell by Tom Munro for Vogue Brazil

In this one, shot in the studio by Tom Munro

Campbell wears selections from her own personal closet

with some styling by Carlyne Cerf De Dudzeele.

Top Closet 

Naomi Campbell Vogue Brazil

Naomi Campbell Vogue Brazil

Naomi Campbell Vogue Brazil

Naomi Campbell Vogue Brazil

Naomi Campbell Vogue Brazil

Naomi Campbell Vogue Brazil

Naomi Campbell Vogue Brazil

Naomi Campbell Vogue Brazil

Carey Mulligan for Flaunt Magazine

British actress Carey Mulligan

is everywhere these days, with her new movie

The Great Gatsby about to release.

Carey Mulligan for Flaunt Magazine

Mulligan has the cover and a fabulous spread

in the new issue of Flaunt Magazine.

Shot by Stevie and Mada

and magnificently styled by Elizabeth Stewart

this story is all color and form,

elegant and modern.

The Divine Carey  

Carey Mulligan Flaunt Magazine

Carey Mulligan, Flaunt Magazine

Carey Mulligan Flaunt Magazine

Carey Mulligan, Flaunt Magazine

Carey Mulligan Cover Flaunt Magazine

Indian Song ~ French Revue Des Modes

Shoots like this inspire me more than

anything in the world.

I love every single magnificent detail about it.

 

Indian Song by Signe Vilstrup for French Revue Des Modes

Danish photographer Signe Vilstrup 

always creates such magic with her shoots.

Her stories have such depth and character,

they are completely mesmerizing.

For the new issue of French Revue Des Modes 

Vilstrup creates a spellbinding photo spread

featuring model Gertrud Hegelund

styled by Dorothea Gundtoft

in luscious Indian inspired designs

rich with texture and color and embellishment.

 Stunning makeup by Anne Staunsager

and hair by Mette Thorsgaard.

Indian Song

 

Indian Song, French Revue Des Modes

 

Indian Song, French Revue Des Modes

Indian Song, French Revue Des Modes

 

Indian Song, French Revue Des Modes

Indian Song, French Revue Des Modes

Indian Song, French Revue Des Modes

Indian Song, French Revue Des Modes

(see more about the amazing Signe Vilstrup

on rcarterphoto.wordpress.com  )

Ready For A Swim ~ Elle Mexico

It feels like a lifetime ago that I was in LA

shooting swimwear, but it was only last week.

I'm still in the swimwear frame of mind,

both for upcoming shoots and for the

long, hot summer ahead.

 

Farah Holt, Elle Mexico

I found this gorgeous swimsuit story 

shot by Hannah Khymych, in Elle Mexico.

Model Farah Holt wears swimsuits from

designers including Alexander Way, Eres, and Herve Leger

with chunky jewelry, as styled by Connie Berg.

Sexy-bomb makeup by Ingeborg  

hair by Yukiko Tajima

Ready For A Swim

Farah Holt, Elle Mexico

Farah Holt, Elle Mexico

Farah Holt Elle Mexico

Farah Holt, Elle Mexico

Farah Holt, Elle Mexico

Farah Holt, Elle Mexico

Farah Holt, Elle Mexico