Homemade face fix!

Need a simple face mask? Bedtime Beauty has trialled a very natural, homemade recipe for clearer skin. All you will need:

- one lemon
- honey

That's all folks! As always Bedtime Beauty has pre-tested this simple solution and can say that it produced visibly clearer skin immediately. Here's how to do it:

- slice up you lemon! (carefully)
- Bedtime beauty used one whole lemon and this created a more runny mixture. If you want more of a mask and less of a cleanser, use half a lemon.
- add four squirts of honey
- mix it up!
- pin ALL hair off your face
- apply mixture as cleanser/mask as you would normally do (for cleanser a circular motion is best)
- leave for a few minutes
- wash away! (make sure all the honey is gone!)
- check out results in the mirror

Bedtime Beauty also followed up with a normal everyday cleanser, and was amazed by how much more effective it was after using this mixture!

So go on! It's easy peasy lemon squeasy!

Bedtime Beauty Tip

Know that horrible feeling when you think you're all ready to go and then find that your nails aren't done? Yes? Then here's a handy tip...

If you are driving to wherever you're going, paint your nails right before you leave - be very careful not to smudge them!

In your car, put the air con/other on and direct the air onto your nails (put both hands on the wheel!) They'll dry in no time!

Bedtime Beauty Tip

Apply makeup/moisturisers with your fingers? It might seen like a quick fix but unless you wash your hands first, you could be rubbing bacteria into your skin. This can lead to infections and blemishes.

Make sure to wash your hands before applying any beauty products with your fingers - it will help them do their job without any nasty side effects!

No More Clumps!

Avoid ugly clumps of mascara in your eyelashes. Sometimes you can actually decrease the flutter of your eyelashes by overloading them with sticky, gloppy mascara. They get clumped together and loose their oomph factor - sad times.

You can overcome this problem following a few simple tips:

- When applying mascara, wiggle the brush gently but constantly from side to side, working your way up from the roots of the lashes right up to the tip. This will help separate them.

- You can add length and definition by applying a clear mascara (using the technique above) before allowing to dry and going over with a coloured one.

- Don't over apply mascara - especially if you have naturally long lashes.This can make them look like scary spider legs!

- Don't overload the brush - start off with whatever is on the brush when you take it out of the liquid and try to use only that. This will help prevent getting too much liquid on the lashes.

- After you're done applying mascara, use either a clean eyelash comb or eyebrow brush to wiggle through the lashes before they completely dry. This will help separate them.

And voila! Beautiful, clump-free lashes. Flutter away!

Bedtime Beauty Tip

Caught out by the sudden appearance of sunshine? Not enough time to get a spray tan, and don't want to risk a potentially streaky tan at home? Bedtime Beauty has a solution. Instant tan can be applied quickly and the best part it you can instantly (!) see how it will look. As it also washes off you can always start over again if things do go wrong. Rimmel currently make a matte effect, water-resistant instant tan which comes in light, medium and dark, which is easy to apply and quick to dry, which isn't too expensive either. So keep calm and get your tan on!

Bedtime Beauty Tip

Love the silky smoothness of waxed legs but not the dreaded ouch that precedes them? Try sugar waxing instead - the sugar sticks to the hair rather than the skin reducing the pain for the gain. Talc up the skin first as this helps prevent things getting too sticky. But be prepared for the mess! The sugar gets runny like honey when hot. Good news however is that the sugar is 100% natural and is suitable even for those with sensitive skin - and being natural means it washes off easily and is Eco friendly - reuse those strips and save the planet! Bonus!

Bedtime Beauty Tip

When concealing a blemish, use a thicker concealer like a blemish stick. This will help mask the redness. If the skin is dry, use a liquid concealer instead - this will help to cover the area as it will sink into the skin better.

Bedtime Beauty Deal Diary

Attention all bargain hunters! Get onto Dorothy Perkins' website for a fantastic 20% discount now! Just enter the code DPSUMMER20!

Click here for the Dorothy Perkins website!

Bedtime Beauty Tip

Before applying fake tan, be sure to put moisturiser on your knees, heels and elbows first, as the skin here is drier and this can cause patchiness.

However, you should keep your face product free in order to achieve a smooth, even tan, so exfoliate with a scrub and remove any make-up before getting a fake bake.

Bedtime Beauty Shout Out

Bedtime Beauty is back from trying out new products and is happy to recommend Revlon Scented Nail Enamel - when dry, your fingers smell lovely and the polish is chip free for a long time too. There are a variety of hot colours so try them out as a treat for your senses!

Bedtime Beauty Tip

When there's beautiful sunshine outside, it can be tempting to spend hours in the sun and soak up the rays.

However here are a few helpful tips to remember whilst enjoying the sunshine:

• When sunlight is reflected on ice, snow, concrete or sand the amount of exposure you receive will be increased up to about 30%
• It's a good idea not to take a shower on the morning before you sunbathe, as the natural oils built up on your skin overnight will provide an added layer of protection
• Vitamin D is absorbed through the oils on the skin, so it's a good idea to wait at least an hour before you take a shower after spending time in the sun
• It's important to put moisture back into the skin after a shower on a hot day, so be sure to rub in your favourite moisturiser!

Bedtime Beauty Shout Out

Want to take the hassle out of smooth lips?

Bedtime Beauty recommends JK Jemma Kidd Perfect Pout Exfoliating Treatment Balm.

It's sugar based and is a great way to scrub off any chapped bits.

Bedtime Beauty Shout Out

There are just too many chemicals in our favourite beauty products nowadays, so it's refreshing to find a more natural product that leaves hair soft and shiny!

Bedtime Beauty loves Naked shampoo and Conditioner, which is full of natural goodness and leaves out (most of) the nasty bits, and is less than £5!

Chic Hair

Bedtime beauty has a fab-tastic tip for ultra chic retro hair, which is super simple!

You will need:
Hairspray
A brush
A stretchy hairband (full circle)
Black velvet hairband
Bobby pins

Brush hair thoroughly, then backcomb the top (see Bedtime Beauty's tips for backcombing: http://bedtimebeauty.blogspot.com/2012/02/backcombing.html) and neaten the top.

Place the hairband on your head. Then, tuck your hair underneath the hairband, and secure with bobby pins.

Cover the stretchy hairband with the black velvet hairband at the front if desired.

Gently smooth the hair into place. This is also a great look for those with long hair who want to try a shorter style without the snip!

Bedtime Beauty Tip

Want to make the scent of your perfume last longer? Combine it with the matching body lotion to smell gorgeous all day!

Bedtime Beauty Shout Out

In A New York Minute Quick Dry Nail Polish, by New York Colour

This nail polish is only £1.79, and yet it is really good quality. It dries very quickly, even with two coats. The colours look equally sophisticated with one coat or two, but the two coats is very strong and doesn't chip easily. There is a great range of colours, including some very elegant shades, such as Park Avenue and Sidewalkers. Equally there are some vibrant shades perfect for matching to a party dress!

Body Brushing

To get yourself energised for the day there is a handy tip, Body Brushing, which will help get you going in the morning!

Using a brush, brush up your legs and sides, and down your arms, towards your heart. This will stimulate your senses and provide a great energy boost!

This can be easily added in to your shower routine, or you can do it before you moisturise. This will also help exfoliate the skin.

Hair Removal Cream

Hair removal cream is a fantastic way to keep your legs feeling silky smooth - in fact it's great for getting rid of any unwanted hair.

Hair removal creams have improved significantly in the last few years so if you tried using them when you were younger and they weren't very effective, it's certainly worth giving them another try!

These are perfect because whilst you're leaving them to do their magic, you can multitask by getting on with other things - moisturising, curling your eyelashes, plucking your eyebrows - anything you can do in roughly six minutes or however long the instructions indicate.

Bedtime Beauty loves the Veet range of hair removal cream for its effectiveness and lovely smell!

Bedtime Beauty Tip

Want your lipstick to stay and avoid fade and smudging?

Use a lip balm, then a lip primer, before applying any lipstick. You can also use a lip pencil to create a good base for your lipstick. Lastly, coat with a shiny gloss for some added glamour!

Bedtime Beauty Shout Out

Bedtime Beauty recommends MAC's lip conditioning balm. In a stylish pot, this balm will keep your lips soft, supple and protected throughout the day!

Pin curls

If you want glamorous, retro curls (think Betty Draper for inspiration), then pin curls are a great way to achieve this. It's a time consuming process if you want them perfect, but you can sleep in them over night and they achieve great curls with no heat.

If your hair is a little damp, this will mean that the curls are more robust, although they will take approximately 7-8 hours to dry naturally.

Ensure that the ends of your hair are smooth by applying some serum or gloss.

If you want tight curls, take a very small section of hair - for larger curls, take a larger section. Starting at the end of the hair, curl upwards toward your scalp using a spiral motion.

This is the effect you should create:

For greater movement, curl the curls both clockwise and anti-clockwise, randomly or in a set pattern, depending on the effect you want to create.

You can use clips or bobby pins for this look. When using bobby pins, set them in a criss-cross to secure the hair in place.

If you are sleeping in this look overnight, Bedtime Beauty recommends wrapping a silk scarf around your head to help keep the curls pristine and frizz free!

Bedtime Beauty Tip

Mascara - if you find that using mascara makes your eyelashes clumpy and stick together, here are a few tips for perfect lashes:

First, choose a mascara that suits your eyelash colour (if you have very fair lashes, black mascara can look odd and can make clumps a lot more noticeable, so choose a brown).

To open your eye, use an eyelash curler. Apply reasonable pressure for a few seconds.

When applying mascara, don't pump it in and out of the tube as this will dry out the liquid.

As you apply the mascara, move your hand left and right, wiggling the lashes as you brush them. This will help to keep them separated.

If they are still clumping togther, use a small eyelash/eyebrow brush and carefully brush through the lashes, separating them. Your lashes will be fully coated without any of the clumps!

Backcombing

Want high volume hair, but finding your backcombing isn't going the distance? Even when using hairspray your efforts can be wasted as your hair begins to loosen and droop over the course of the night.

To backcomb, ensure that your hair is tangle free, and then separate the part of your hair your want to backcomb from the rest of your hair. Lift this at a right angle to your head, and using either a comb or bristle brush, start brushing towards your scalp. The motion should not be as fast as when you brush your hair normally. Instead, use a firm hand and brush down slowly, repeating many times. This creates a better effect whilst causing less damage.

Cover the area with hairspray, to ensure that the hair is held in place. Then, to set the hair, use your hairdryer to dry the hairspray for a few seconds. This will ensure that your look will stay in place much longer.

Conceal...

Sometimes, beauty sleep just isn't enough, and you need a little help to look flawless in the morning. If you wake up and need to hide those little imperfections, here is your quick, cheap solution.

Start by moisturising any dry areas. If you apply concealer to dry skin, it will dry it out even more and appear flaky. Let the moisturiser sink in.

Start by using a colour corrector stick. This is a quick way to banish redness, and there's no need to spend a lot. 17 Even Tone Corrector Stick retails at under £4 and does the job nicely!

Apply the corrector stick directly to red areas and blend. When using your fingers to apply concealers (which is often the mos effective way) ensure that they are clean, and when on the o use a hand gel to ensure that you're not rubbing bacteria into your skin.

Next, follow up with a concealer that matches your skin tone. If you can't find one that matches perfectly, it may be worth considering buying two and blending them together. If that doesn't suit you, always go a shade lighter, not darker, as this will at least reflect the light.

There are lots of good concealers but Bedtime Beauty recommends Maybelline Cover Stick for it's durability and creamy, blendable texture, which also normally retails at under £4. Applied in the morning this should last until the end of the working day.

If you have a little more cash to splash, then Bedtime Beauty recommends Diorskin Skin-Perfecting Hydrating concealer. It's more pricey at just under £20, but as you only need a little it should last you a long time. It's quite a thick, creamy liquid that doesn't just melt away like some other liquid concealers. It leaves an overall airbrushed, flawless look, and is particularly good for under your eyes because it is thick enough to cover dark circles, but liquid enough not to collect in fine lines or dry out the skin.

Bedtime Beauty Tip

For a healthy scalp and lustrous locks, follow these simple washing rules:

Don't wash your hair everyday as this will prevent it from replenishing natural oils and nutrients.

When using shampoo, start at the scalp. Apply a reasonable amount of pressure to the scalp in a massaging motion (petrissage). This will stimulate your scalp and encourage hair growth. This will also help to ensure that you wash away any product build up from previous washes or accumulated dirt.

If you don't rinse your scalp thoroughly, you may find it becoming itchy and flaky.

Be sure to condition the hair, otherwise you will strip it of it's shine. Do not condition your roots however as this will make your hair appear greasy and will contribute to product build up on your scalp. Instead, condition the length of the hair paying special attention to the roots. This is also true for leave-in conditioners.

After washing, your hair should not feel squeaky clean - this means you have washed out all the natural oils and your hair will appear duller.

 After you've finished washing your hair in the shower, give it a quick rinse with cold water. This might not seem like the ideal way to end your shower, but the cold water is best for your hair and adds to it's shine.

Bedtime Beauty Tip

Save money on expensive anti-wrinkle creams - working moisturiser into places with fine lines, such as eyes and forehead, will help to reduce them! By gently rubbing the lines every night (and getting lots of sleep!) you will soon see the results for yourself at a fraction of the cost!

Bedtime Beauty Shout-Out

Bedtime Beauty would like to recommend Hair By Fairy in Covent Garden!

 Hair By Fairy is a quirky little corner salon in Neal's Yard, a tucked away little gem where you can get a haircut for £13 (wash and cut). They offer a range of services and are well worth checking out!

Bedtime Beauty Tip

It is not advisable to go to sleep with wet hair. It can often create a natural, tousled look, particularly if you have wavy hair, which may look good but your hair health will suffer as a result.

Your hair is naturally weaker when wet and more prone to damage. Even if you think you're lying still at night you are likely to toss and turn on your pillow, damaging the surface of the hair.

Bedtime Beauty advises allowing an hour or so after your shower to allow the hair to dry naturally before bed, if you want to keep your look fresh, simple and healthy.

Overnight Hair Treatment

There are lots of overnight hair masks, but often these are less than ideal. No one wants to wake up on a damp pillow covered in hair product. So Bedtime Beauty has  a handy tip for hassle free gorgeous locks!

Bedtime Beauty recommends using Soap and Glory's Hair Supply mask. After washing your hair, apply evenly throughout the hair. It may be a good idea to brush it through ensuring even coverage.

Bedtime Beauty suggests applying extra product to the ends of your hair for extra moisture. For best results, leave on the hair for 4-5 minutes. Just enough time to brush your teetch or cleanse your face! Then rinse out.

If you're looking for some serious hair TLC, Bedtime Beauty recommends applying Umberto Gianni's Overnight Beauty Balm before bed. Ensure your hair is protected using a heat defence spray, brushing through to ensure even coverage. Next, blow dry the hair. Be sure not to overheat the hair as this will cause damage; do not dry the hair until it is bone dry, instead allow for a little dampness. Finally, apply the Overnight Beauty Balm through the hair, concentrating on the ends.

 This is a great hair mask because not only does it smell delicious and leave your hair smooth and silky, but you also won't need to rinse it out in the morning. You can use just one of these hair masks if you prefer but using both ensures VIP treatment for tired, overworked hair.

Bedtime Beauty Tip

If your feet are dry and tired after a long day, treat them to some serious bedtime moisture! Rub a thck moisturiser into the dry parts of your feet, and then go to bed with socks on. Do this every night for smoother, softer feet.

Bedtime Beauty's Deal Diary

Excellent offer now on at ColourNation for those of you able to take advantage of it!

For Super Soft Lips...

Right before bed is the best time to moisturise your lips. Banish those wintry blue lips and follow these tips for super soft lips!

Exfoliate your lips to remove any dry skin - this is really important! There are lots of ways you can do this:
 - use a toothbrush to gently brush away the dry bits
 - using a finger, apply some sugar to your lips, rubbing in gently
 - if your lips aren't too dry, you can use a cotton wool ball to gently buffer away

Next, wash your lips. This ensures that your lips are clean and free from any build up or bacteria. Dry gently - tap, don't rub.

Before going to bed, use a moisturiser with no alcohol or fragrances, as this will dry out your skin on your sensitive lips. Bedtime Beauty recommends Aveno moisturiser.

 

Alternatively, use a petroleum jelly such as Vaseline. Make sure you apply it nice and thickly! Overnight, this will make your lips super soft!

If you find your lips getting dry during the day, consider whether you may be licking or touching them a lot. This will damage the surface of your lips and cause dryness. If the weather is cold and windy, shield your lips with a scarf to protect them. Keep hydrated during the day.

Night Time Steamer

For a mild, soothing facial at home to open pores before your nightly beauty regime, and send you off to sleep.

You will need:

 - Some lavendar

 - Olive oil

 - Saucepan

 - Towel

Boil some water in a saucepan. Add olive oil and some lavendar. Take the saucepan off the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes. Place on a stable surface, and lean over the hot water. Use the towel to trap the air. Do this for 10-20 minutes. Afterwards, follow your usual nightly cleansing regime. If you like, you can apply a face mask following the steamer, and cut up some cucumber slices to feel the part! A great way to unwind before bed.

Bedtime Beauty's First Post!

Hello and welcome to Bedtime Beauty.

This blog is dedicated to simple beauty tips and tricks.

 Keep an eye out for the latest updates from Bedtime Beauty!