Retro Swimwear Elle Sweden June 2013

I adore retro swimwear.

Vagspel Elle Sweden June 2013

There's something so madly sexy about 

being a little more covered up.

One pieces and high waists,

structured tops.

Gorgeous.

 

Vagspel, Elle Sweden June 2013

In the June 2013 issue of Elle Sweden

photographer Jimmy Backius

and model Celia Becker

head to Brazil

to shoot pin up magic.

Fabulous hair by Linda Shalabi

Beautiful makeup by Linda Ohrstrom

Vågspel 

Vagspel, Elle Sweden

How To Apply Skin Care Products

I'm an absolute skin care junkie.
And I am always being asked what order skin care products should be applied in.
It can get confusing when you have serums and retinols, moisturizers and sunscreens - multiple products to layer.
So here is a step by step guide

 How To Apply Skin Care Products

The first rule of thumb is that generally lighter weight products go underneath heavier ones,

but lets break it down.

Ren Hydra Calm Youth Defence Serum

Serums:

Serums are applied immediately after cleansing, day and/or night, depending on the product.

Normally you only need a pea sized amount, and pat or smooth it all over the face.

Don't forget your throat area too!

Retinol Creams:

Ren Bio Retinoid Anti Aging Concentrata

Retinols (such as RetinA) are light sensitive and must be used at night only.

Pat a small amount - only the size of a pea or maybe two, around the recommended area. Some are used all over the face, some are used to target specific areas only.

If you experience irritation using a retinol every night, cut it back to every 3rd or 4th night, slowly working your way to nightly as your skin can handle it.

Moisturizer:

Twice daily. Your daytime moisturizer and your night time moisturizer do different jobs, so its a good idea to invest in two separate products.

Ren Day Cream

Moisturizers are applied over serums and retinols. Allow the serum to soak in first, then apply your moisturizer, liberally. avoiding the eye area.

Dried out, dehydrated skin ages much more rapidly than healthy, nourished skin, so don't skimp on this important step!

Ren Eye Gel

Eye Cream:

The skin around the eye area is the thinnest, finest, most delicate skin on the body, and requires its own products. Use the pad of your ring finger (it carries the least tension and is less likely to drag the skin) and pat eye cream along the orbital bone.

Facial SPF:

I can't reiterate enough how crucially important a free standing facial SPF of 50+ is. You need to apply it daily, come rain or shine, over top of your moisturizer.

You may have to try a couple of different formulations to find the one that works best for your skin. I use Neutrogena Dry Touch with Helioplex, which is a broad spectrum sun screen. Broad sprectrums protect you from UVA rays (aging) and UVB rays (burning).

Apply liberally, all over your face and throat.

Nothing - absolutely nothing will age your skin faster than sun damage.

Products shown in this blog post are by Ren, and can be purchased at Sephora or at their website,

www.renskincare.com

Is Your Booty Beach Ready?

Now that we're getting beach ready, 

and limbs and derrieres that have hidden under

winter clothes are seeing the sun

I want to tell you about two products

from my beloved  REN Clean Skincare.

Get your beach bottom ready with REN Skin Care Body Products

REN Guerande Salt Exfoliating Body Balm

One of the best body balms I have ever used

this one contains Guerande Salt, Basil Oil, Peppermint Oil and Olive Oil.

Your limbs will be super smooth, glowing and nourished.

It feels luxurious and smells divine.

But don't just take my word for it - check out these reviews:

A product that will change your life forever: I get through buckets of scrubs, rubs and all-over smoothers, but REN’s Guerande Salt Exfoliating Body Balm is the one that stands out.” ELLE 

"Our overall winner was REN’s Guerande Salt Exfoliating Body Balm. Flaky, problem skin was smoothed to healthy perfection after a week of daily use". Easyliving 

"If your skin has the end of summer blues - think post-holiday patchiness and dry, dull spots - then REN's Guerande Salt Exfoliating Body Balm should be the answer to your beauty prayers". MarieClaire 

If you are one of the masses afflicted with unsightly cellulite

you will love this next product too

REN Skin Care Body Contouring Anti-Cellulite Gel.

This one visibly reduces the look of cellulite and that orange peel looking skin,

while making the skin appear firmer and smoother, and improving body contour.

It is also cooling and soothing.

Personally I'd like to soak in a bath of it....

REN Skin Care 

Carole's Daughter Monoi Oil

Ever the product junkie

I was really excited to try out this fabulous hair oil.

 

Carole's Daughter Monoi Oil

Carole's Daughter Monoi Oil Strengthening Serum

is both a preventative serum, and a miracle oil

that repairs damage to the hair.

It's silicone free, so is quite lightweight

making it a great choice for fine hair, but at the same time

is fabulous for thick hair like my own.

It controls frizz, gives a gorgeous shine to the hair,

while rebuilding the hair from the inside,

rather than just coating the outside.

There are multiple products in this line, 

all utilizing Monoi Oil from Tahiti.

They not only feel exotic, but smell exotic too.

To find shopping locations or to order online

click on the company website below:

Carole's Daughter Monoi Oil

Sexy Swimwear From Amorroma

Looking for a new bikini?

Amorroma bikini

I recently was fortunate enough to shoot with the amazing Heather Roma of Beverly Hills based swimwear brand, Amorroma

Heather's designs are beautifully inspired by a childhood in the Virgin Islands, followed by years in Palm Beach. Her pairing of beachy chic with a laid back beach lifestyle melds together in a gorgeous fashion forward yet boho cool line of swimwear and resort-wear.

Swimwear by Amorroma

Sexy without being overly provocative, her designs work on many body types. 
A delicious dedication to detail and to functionality - items transition from daytime beach to evening, 
and a loyalty to local manufacture, (her line is made in Southern California) caught the eye of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2013, who had model Jessica Perez wear Amorroma when they shot on Easter Island.

Jessica Perez in Amorroma for Sports Illustrated Swimwear 2013

I'm looking forward to seeing the beautiful editorials we shot with Amorroma. The new designs and totally luscious colors are to die for.
Keep checking the Amorroma website for news, 
and for some sneak peeks at whats coming, follow Heather on Instagram @ amorromaswim

What Goes On Board

Do you know what to take on board your long haul flight

to make sure you arrive at the other end

looking glam and gorgeous??

Eva Longoria at the airport

If you've taken any international/long haul flights before

you'll know that the customs and immigration lines are filled

with an odd breed of human that have spilled out of and endless

steam of jumbo jets, all ashen and grey and sickly looking,

interspersed with the occasional glam-bomb, who looks

even more fabulous in their midst.

What does she do thats so right? 

click for image credit

She boards her flight well equipt 

and with a plan for a glamorous disembarkation at the other end.

I don't have time for jet-lag and I normally have to roll straight into a business meeting or a social event,

so here's what I take on board to make sure I'm ready to go when I get to the other end.

So here is my carry on bag, packed and ready.

When you fly your body dehydrates, so the biggest part of the equation is keeping extra hydrated, both with water and with skin care.

I drink tons of water. Once I've gone through security I buy the biggest bottles of water I can find. Most airports only have one size, so I buy 2 or 3 of them.

 

I take Neal's Yard organic facial towelettes to cleanse my skin during the flight. Any makeup you've been wearing needs to be removed, especially any foundation/powder products. 

These facial wipes are fabulous, and very gentle.

 

 

My Stephanie Johnson travel cosmetic/toiletry bags have a see through pouch that snaps out, and is ideal for sending makeup and skincare items through the airport xray machines at the security points. I like that everything stays together, and the pouch just snaps back into my toiletry bag when I get to my hotel.

 

Inside the pouch: 

Skin care wise I have NUDE Pro Genius Oil. 

This one is amazing as it is full of different Omega's, each doing different work on your skin. You only use a couple of drops, and they absorb beautifully into the skin. Pro Genius also seems to enhance anything that goes on top of it, giving your skin extra boost as well as radiance.

Rhonda Allison Drop of Essence  is an amazing hydration product. I reapply it a couple of times throughout the flight. It keeps the skin extra nourished and stops it from drying out.

SkynICELAND Icelandic Relief Eye Pens are the perfect travel companion. The Skyn ICELAND products are designed for stressed skin, and theres nothing quite like a 12 hour flight to stress your skin out! I reapply this light weight but nourishing and invigorating eye cream a couple of times during the flight, mostly because it just feels really nice. And it keeps the eye area nice and soft.

La Mer. 

I am obsessed with this wonder cream! When I travel I have tiny tubs of it that go with me.A little goes a long way. I use it as both day and night cream when I fly.

Not shown is facial SPF. During day flights I have a ton on, as the rays that come through the windows are much stronger up there. I'm about to take a night flight, so the SPFs are packed in my checked luggage

Bee Lovely Busy Bee Balm.  

I was just given this one - ideal both for lips (which really do dry out on long flights) and also for cuticles. Even after the most fabulous manicure on earth, my cuticles dry out at 35 000 feet, so I use lip balm to keep them soft. Its from Neal's Yard in Covent Garden, so is organic, and super yummy.

Shortly before landing I fix my makeup. It's all about BB Cream. I use Ren BB cream, which gives gorgeous even color, and has so many priming/skin treatment/light diffusing properties - your skin looks amazing.

Next I use Nars Multiples in either Portofino or Orgasm. Eyes, cheeks, lips get a fresh infusion of sheer color, and again the skin just glows and looks radiant. Be sure to use a warm color - the cool pinks can often work against you after a long flight.

Smashbox Halo Highlighting Wand adds a touch more life to the skin. I highlight the cheekbones, and also use it under the eyes along with a dab of peachy concealer to brighten the face.

Julie Hewett Lips  have Camellia Oil in them, making them super smooth and luscious, and extra hydrating.

The colors are exquisite too!

DiorShow mascara  has been my favorite for years. You can really build sensational lashes with it. And after 12 hours inflight, you need serious lashes.

Also with me on every flight is my beige pashmina. Its giant, and its more than 12 years old. Its lightweight, takes up no space at all, and is super warm. It literally goes on every flight I take, so it's been round and round the world more times than you can imagine! Part of having a good flight is being comfortable and warm. A pashmina is ideal. (And beige goes with everything)

Bose around ear headphones. Drown out all noise, and watch movies/listen to music in comfort.

There you have it - what is going on board with me this summer!

xo

SEafolly 2013 Campaign

Check it out - one of my absolute fave 

Aussie swimwear lines,  Seafolly

Their new campaign features Franco-American model

Camille Rowe, shot in Hawaii by David Gubert.

Seafolly Campaign 2013

Seafolly Campaign 2013

Seafolly Campaign 2013