It’s a well known story; on each and every trip to the hairdresser you stare in awe at the skilled stylist in the mirror and convince yourself that one day you too will weald a hairbrush and blow-dryer with similar dexterity. Unfortunately, once you’ve parted with your hard earned money and bounced out of the salon with a head full of beautifully sculpted curls, this resolution somehow falls to the wayside and within a weak it’s back to the time-honoured scarecrow look that often accompanies a GHD-happy hair regime.

In light of such a predicament, we were pretty excited when we discovered KeraStraight at the Show Space Re-Treat event. Lasting up to four months, this treatment is ideal for those of us with little-to-no hairdressing aptitude. Hair is first washed with a special pre-treatment shampoo before a thick moisture mask is applied from root to tip. The mask is then blow-dried into the hair for about 15-20mins, before being washed out, dried and styled. Three weeks after the treatment and we can still feel a difference, our long locks looking well nourished and shiny. We could go into the science behind the product but we won’t…all you really need to know is that it works. Oh and it contains 24carrat gold for those magpies among you.

We may have only just got used to the fact we’re in the year 2012, but get ready to take a journey back to the decade that gave to us the fanny pack, as this SS12 it’s all about the 90’s.  Not so much the bouffant hair and Jazzy Jeff prints, but the power brows that dominated the catwalks, think dark, dense and perfectly shaped a la Cindy Crawford.

To aid you in your quest for brow perfection we have created our all new Bold Brow Service, £40 which will save you the awkward growing-out period and months of unruly eyebrows and make your transition from weak-brow to wow-brow an effortless one.

How it works:

1) First stop, your brow consultant will give you expert advice on which darker hue best suits you, though if you really want to channel your inner Crawford forgo the expert tutelage and go as dark as you dare.

2) You will then be treated to a brow thread, bespoke brow tint and a tutorial from your personal Blink therapist on how to create and maintain the look at home.

3) Et voila! You’ll leave with perfectly bold brows and a complimentary Blink Brow Pencil in your recommended shade for at-home maintenance.

Eyeing your prey

We at Blink are firm believers in the age old saying “the eyes are the window to the soul”, so make full use of them and bag the hunky specimen you’ve been eyeing up – sorry, we just couldn’t help ourselves. Aside from regularly manicuring at Blink Brow Bar, here’s our top tips on how to flirt without saying a word.

1.      Check him out top-to toe, so he knows you’re interested. To confirm your interest hold his gaze for MAXIMUM 3 seconds, any longer and you’ll channel Glen Close ‘Fatal Attraction’ rather than the intended sultry gaze.

2.      Move your eyes to his lips, and back up again- just so he knows you mean business.

3.      Now this move is only for the uber-confident and please girls, only do this if you’ve practised this move in the mirror (and don’t laugh, we have all done it) – the all important wink.

By now he should be chasing you down to grab your phone number and ahem other things, so enjoy your prize but remember only evoke the power of the gaze to the truly special, we wouldn’t want your eyes to be on the lips of every man in town.

We’re still pretty excited about the success of pre-fashion week pampering event, Re-Treat created by our friends at The Show Space, so thought we would give you a visual treat and make a melange of images from our pop-up Brow Bar. Judging by the pictures below we think everyone was more than satisfied…

Whilst the squeaky clean surface of Fashion Week is all glamour and preened-to-perfection models, behind the scenes it’s sometimes a little more cattle market than couture. Running between shows in 5inch heels, the effects of last night’s post-show party carefully concealed under a good few layers of make up and a handful of aspirin, whilst trying to maintain some semblance of stylishness is, well, pretty stressful stuff. (Cue teeny tiny violins)

Thankfully, this year our prayers were answered when The Show Space set up pre-fashion week pampering event, Re-Treat. Hopefully the fist of many, this two day beauty clinic hosted the likes of Maybelline New York, L’Oreal, KeraStraight, St Tropez and of course our good selves, at a series of pop-up pampering stations set across the Red Bull Studios in London. All designed with the runway in mind, the long list of treatments on offer included anything and everything you could possible need to get fashion week ready, from beautifully sculpted brows (of course), to ultra-glossy locks, perfectly painted nails and just back-from-the-beach tans.

Bring it on Fashion week; we’re well and truly ready!

The ShowSpace Re-Treat

We feel we have neglected you men out there somewhat of late, and seeing as here at Blink we like to think of ourselves as completely inclusive, (yes, men take heed, we have a specialist threading section for you too) this blog post is all about you.  Well men wearing dubious couture outfits.

In the midst of Fashion Week we thought we would bring to you a selection of some of the most interesting menswear from the catwalks of Milan and Paris. Diverse would be an understatement, from the Incredible Hulk seen at Thom Browne to studded, Bloody Mary-hued pleated skirts at Givenchy we have compiled a montage of our favourites.  Coming to a high street near you very soon…

We are obviously very proud of our work threading the county’s eyebrows into perfect arches but there is one woman out there that had she been alive today, though resembling an angry caterpillar, we would never dare touch:  Frida Kahlo, you have won Blink’s first annual ‘if anyone can wear a mono-brow it’s you’ award.

If, however you prefer your brows on the slightly more manicured side then we are on hand for all your corrective needs. To remedy untamed brows between shopping pit-stops our new Blink Essentials walk-in bar in the John Lewis Reading Beauty Retreat is open and ready to weave, no appointment necessary.

Winter, we’re bored of you. You can take your dry, chapped skin and wind-ravaged hair and shove off until next year. So, in an attempt to rid ourselves of the January blues we are prematurely looking forward to the onset of spring, the season of pastel colours and girlish prettiness. To achieve this look in real life and not end up looking like a marshmallow flump we suggest keeping your makeup clean and minimal with just a hint of dewiness to let your natural beauty shine through. Here are our pick of products that will leave you looking peachy…
1. Mac, Full Lash Curler, £13

2. Blink, Mascara, £17

3. By Terry, Rose De Rose, Corail Rose, £39

4.Blink, Eyebrow Grooming Gel, £15

5. Aromatherapy Associates, Moisturising Lip Balm, £13.50

You may be slathering you’re face in various oils, lotions and ingesting dubious supplements in the pursuit of achieving radiance from within, but we’re from the generation of fast food and fast fashion so a quick fix to instant illumination would be preferable.  Thankfully our collection of five radiance cheats will liven up sallow skin before you can say Big Mac.

1. Bobbi Brown, Bronze Shimmer Brick, £30.50

2. Benefit, High Beam, £18.50

3. Nars, Sheer Glow Foundation, £29.50

4. Mac, Strobe Cream, £12

5. Laura Mercier, Illuminating Quad, £29

Looking back to 2011 there were some pretty amazing beauty advances, great and all but it was the sudden wave of beauty extreme-y that will be remembered as the breakout beauty trend.  We’re talking the Scouse brow, the pillowy cat face and the frozen-forevermore expressions, 2011 was the year natural beauty gave way to its altogether more plasticised alter-ego.  Thankfully we’re predicting 2012 beauty will go back to it’s roots, where subtle enhancements rather than the more is more school of thought will once again prevail.

Cat Club

Everybody wants to be a cat… The celebrity cat face is a turbo-charged version of the eponymous pillow face (think chipmunk cheeks) and was rife in the latter stages of last year on certain high-profile celebs. Identified by the alarmingly high feline eyes and puffy cheeks this ‘look’ occurs after being a bit heavy handed with everything- collagen, Botox, filler…

Blink Tip- Before heading down the man-made Top Cat route try going au natural by improving elasticity and tightening skins collagen by eating plenty of anti-oxidant rich foods like avocadoes, passion fruit and Brazil nuts.  Don’t forget the obvious; drinking eight glasses of water a day to keep skin supple, fresh and naturally plump.

Botox

The trend to freeze your face so much it resembled a sheet of taught Clingfilm reached an all time low when reports surfaced that girls as young as 15 were taking to ‘teen toxing’ as a wrinkle preventive, obviously missing the point that wrinkles and normal facial expressions are not the same thing. And with research suggesting early overuse of Botox can actually lead to premature ageing then we’d rather go it alone.

Blink Tip- Topical face creams and serums can mimic the tightening effects of Botox, try Bakel, Collagen Firming Formula, £85, or Strivectin, Tight Sculpt Face & Neck Cream, £79, to keep skin toned and radiant without a needle in sight.

The Scouse Brow

Our favourite extreme breakout trend for obvious reasons. Thanks Desperate Scousewives for bringing these works of art to our attention, putting brows back in the spotlight and making a style icon out of Bert from Sesame Street.  An easy, and safe, trend to reproduce, simply pencil (or paint) in eyebrows heavy and dark. 

Blink Tip- You can achieve defined brows without them dominating your whole entire face, threading them will sculpt brows into the perfect shape for your face and lasts far longer than ure tweezing efforts. To add subtle definition and fill in any gaps use Blink, Eyebrow Grooming Gel, £15 to add a hint of colour and keep any rogue hairs in place all whilst nourishing them at the same time.

New year, new you…or so they say. The only problem is that after stuffing ourselves with turkey and downing one to many mulled wines, we’re not feeling all that spritely. Add in a serious case of back-to-work-blues and some sun-starved skin and were almost ready to retreat into hibernation until mid May.

So…we’ve decided a pro-active approach is the only way. Here at Blink we’ve come up with a set of skincare essentials that will brighten up the dullest of winter-tinged complexions and help you combat the coldest months of the year. Banish chapped lips, dry skin and tired eyes with our hand-picked selection of beauty saviours and emerge into 2012 looking ethereal…well, fingers crossed.

winter skin saviours

1. 1. Scrub away last years grime with Ren’s Jojoba Microbead Purifying Facial Polish, £18. Perfect for sensitive skin and ultra cooling, this face wash is sure to restore a glowing skin tone
2. 2. Tried, tested and loved by many, Elizabeth Arden’s Eight Hour Cream, £25, is the ideal way to combat dry and dehydrated lips. Apply every night before bed to keep your lips supple and crack-free.
3. 3. An essential part of your beauty regime, a good make-up primer can make the difference between healthy, well hydrated skin and a dry, grey complexion. Dr Sebagh’s, Luminous Glow Complexion Perfector, £72.00, eliminates signs of fatigue and leaves skin looking younger, firmer and with a long lasting glow.
4. 4. Inject some essential oils into dry, tired skin with Aromatherapy Associates Revitalising Face Oil, £37. Combining extracts of rose, frankincense and borage, it won’t be long before you’re looking youthful and radiant.
5. 5. Combat dark circles and arm yourself against the cold with this 24 Hour Replenishing eye Moisturiser from Espa, £35. Not only will it nourish delicate skin, but it also contains ingredients like Mimosa and Evening Primrose – packed full of antioxidants to help prevent the early signs of aging.

It’s Christmas, the time of year when it suddenly seems necessary to de-cobweb your collection of board games and spend a traditional evening in with your nearest and dearest debating whether or not ‘ailurophile’ is a real word in the festive scrabble tournament, (it is, look it up).  So, in light of the Christmas gaming spirit we have come up with our own take on the Guess Who theme to create Blink’s first, but probably not last- ‘Guess The Celebrity Eyebrow’.  Simply browse, ahem, through these A-list eyebrows and then try and work out whose belong to whom.  Go forth and conquer from our pick of the good, the bad and the over plucked of the celebrity world.

Ps- Answers are below the pictures should you find your celeb brow knowledge sub par.

Yes we are officially in mid-December and that can only mean one thing- (apart from the fact that it’s really, really cold) it’s Christmas party season. In a bid to keep you looking at your alluring best, even if you only have two minutes in front of the heavily populated office mirror to prep, we have picked the ultimate beauty products that are no-brainer, party perfection winners. Just add mistletoe.

1. B by Blink Brow Bar, Strip Lashes, Twiggy, £15.  To continue the 60’s eye revolution, apply a pair of full strip lashes to your natural lash line for instant doe – eyes. Perhaps one of the quickest beauty cheats known to women.

2. Nars, Eyeliner Stylo, Nuits Blanches, £18.50.  Yes, using liquid liner can be treacherous when pressed for time but this fine, felt-tip style liner has a precision tip as well as being ultra long-lasting. If you can use a pen we can pretty much guarantee you can use this foolproof liner.

3. Bobbi Brown, Lip Color No7, £18. Obtain a flawless facade by applying this rich, suit-all-complexions, orangery lipstick to add an instant touch of glamour to your look.  To seal the colour sweep a coat of Lipcote, £3.35 over your lipstick to keep it in place instead of lining your martini glass.

4. Essie, Nail Colour, School Of Hard Rocks, £9.95. This decadent, rich jewel – hued polish glides on to create a high-shine, chip resistant finish that will keep your nails perfectly coated throughout the festivities.

5. Diptyque, Do Son Solid Perfume, £28.  A bag-friendly, solid perfume compact that is crammed full of rose berries, orange leaves and tuberose.  Smooth onto pulse points for a subtle, yet long-lasting intoxicating aroma.

THE BLINK GUIDE TO STRESS FREE CHRISTMAS BEAUTY

Christmas is a time for lists. Present lists, cards lists, food lists and just-about-everything-else lists. And whether you’re oh so modern with your digital reminders, or – like us – prefer the old school method of putting pen to (Smythson notepad) paper, lists are the modern gal’s way to get through the season relatively stress-free.

So in the spirit of minimum fuss, maximum efficiency, we thought we’d give you a helping hand and compile the Blink Party Prep list to end all lists.

1. It’s surprising how having good skin magically makes our life less stressful and make up regimen more speedy. When ours goes into SOS mode, we love nothing more than Bobbi Brown’s Extra SPF25 Tinted Moisturiser Balm, £25 (www.bobbibrown.co.uk). Let it double up as your moisturiser and UV protectant by applying it pre make up – then pat it on at the end of the day to wake up your skin before you head into the night.

2. Never underestimate the power of a girlish blush to take years off your face – and fake several hours more sleep. Maybelline’s Dream Soft Blush in Apricot, £6.49 (www.boots.com) melts into ashen cheeks and highlights temples and brow bones for when you need to get your glow on.

3. So you’ve been feeling a little worse for wear ever since the night before the night before. Which is precisely why smart party hoppers pop Sprayology’s Party Relief, £25 (www.glowgetter.co.uk) into their handbags. Containing a secret blend of homeopathic wonder workers, it’ll quell those waves of nausea, support your tired liver and boost your energy levels to set you straight before another night out on the town.

4. Really though, when it comes to party season, we firmly believe it’s the eyes that have it. Tired, sensitive eyes can so easily be scratched by regular eye pencils. Which is why our Intense Kajal Liner, £13 is so genius. Packed full of olive and jojoba oil, it slides onto the lash line, soothes sensitive skin – and smudges into something smoky and sultry.

5. And the finishing touch? It has to be a party-perfect set of lashes. Knowing how much you love our existing array of strip lashes, we thought we’d give you an early Christmas present and created three new, eye popping sets to make youe party season go with an extra swing. Even better, we’ll even apply them for free when you purchase – so you can head straight on out in style.

• Taking their cue from the ‘60s references that ruled the AW catwalks, are the Twiggy lashes. As an ode to the swinging sixties icon, they’re long, full and make eyes oh-so-wide.
• Sparkling is always in style at Christmas. So give your eyes a light-reflecting glimmer, the Sparkle set come with diamantes studs at the base.
• For something that’s cute, girlish and suits all eye shapes, we just love the Dolly. Pop these on with your Maybelline blush and you’ll look as fresh as daisy – even in the hours of the morning.

www.blinkbrowbar.com

Party season is fast approaching and this year we’re determined to remain composed and classy at all times and not to end up pulling some embarrassing and undignified stunt at the work Christmas party. So, in an attempt to embody the glamour, and dare we say it, sex appeal, of a silver screen starlet, we’re trialling a new look – the vintage curl.

Great for long luscious locks as well as on shorter cropped styles for an authentic 40s take on the trend; we reckon this one’s a winner. So, if like us you fancy yourself as a modern day Veronica Lake (we can all dream), then perhaps it’s time to give the vintage curl a try…

1. Apply a wet gel like Au Naturel Styling Gel by Fedderik Fekkai, £10, to damp hair where you’re going to sweep behind the ear, then use Percy and Reed Abundantly Bouncy Volumising Mousse, £12.00, across the rest of your hair, keeping hair back from your face
2. Blow-dry using a flat bristle brush, sweeping the gelled hair backwards behind your ear, whilst brushing the moussed side forwards over your shoulder.
3. For perfect rolls use curling tongs or heated rollers – making sure that the curls all run in the same direction
4. Finally, use the flat bristle brush over the curls to smooth hair and bring waves together and finish with Bumble and bumble’s extra strength holding spray, £16.50

We’ve always liked a challenge. So after spreading our wonder-working brow wisdom at various UK beauty hotspots – not to mention our tip-top venue in Henri Bendel’s New York – we decided to enter the brave new world of nails.

We applied our exacting brow shaping standards, false lash attention to detail and the nurturing know-how of our Ayurvedic massages and looked at creating a mani/pedi-perfect equivalent. And what better place to start than in the fabulousness that is our new Blink bar in the all-singing, all-dancing freshly-refurbed Selfridges Manchester?

Within weeks, we’d got glowing reviews from the lovely ladies at Vogue, and the ever-discerning team at Elle.

But we’re not one to have favourites among our fans. So we decided to set up a nail shop at London’s The Spa at Bluebird. Set on the uber-cool King’s Road in Chelsea, this brand new nail bar serves up a selection of the most seductive OPI and Essie shades. And to save you time when you stop by, we put together our top of the nail picks rundown of the colours that will take you through winter and into spring/summer…

5. So chic, so go-with-everything wearable, we just can’t get enough of taupes, greiges and putty shades right now. So seek out Essie’s Mink Muffs or caramel-delicious Carry On.

4. Like the LBD of nails, you gotta love a classic. A dark, blood red shade magically looks great against all skin tones – so when you need something you just know will work, look no further than Essie’s Limited Addiction..

3. Blue is the new red ladies. So when a berry just doesn’t seem en vogue, trust us when we say Essie’s Midnight Cami won’t fail you.

2. Yet by the time deep, dark winter sets in, sometimes a gal needs a bit of a perky-nailed pick me up. Opt for OPI’s OPI on Collins Ave on your toes and you can dream you’ve been whisked off to far-off shores while you gaze at them during the eighth downward dog of your yoga class.

1. For a winter wonderland look worthy of any Ice Queen, try Essie’s Marshmallow. A sheer white shade with a gorgeous glossy finish, this colour is perfect for French manis as well as fully white-washed nails.

And for anyone who’s got a not-a-moment-to-spare diary – or better still , really is leaving for sunnier climes – we’ve even laid on the option of an Artistic 3-Week Mani in your chosen shade.

Now that’s what we call nailing your beauty regimen!

Not technically Blink territory, but a well maintained moustache is certainly worthy of some attention. For those of you wondering why there are more moustachioed men wondering the streets than usual, it’s because this is the month of Movember – a time when men adorn their faces with handlebars and horseshoes in an attempt to raise money and awareness of male cancers. We’ve caught up with Murdock’s Head Barber Alex Glover and Movember participant Andy Marsh for the low-down on life under the mo’

Alex Glover: Head Barber, Murdock at Liberty (Murdock London)

Which product would you suggest using to keep your moustache in top shape?

“Clubman for styling and Captain Fawcett for fragrance”

In your experience, what’s the most popular moustache style?

“Probably the handlebar…it’s the most classic”

Can you recommend a good moustache comb?

“Kent. They’re the best bush and comb manufacturers in the world and also known for their handmade bristle brushes”

On average how long does it take to grow a good moustache?

“Normally about 2-3 months”

Any top tips for moustache maintenance?

“Keep the lip line clean, grow it for a little while and then seek professional advice”

Freddie Mercury or Poirot?

“Poirot”

Andy Marsh – Movember participant

Would you consider keeping your moustache after Movember is over?

“Yes. I find the style suits my face. It makes me feel more distinguished”

How long does it take you every morning to perfect the perfect handlebar?

“5 minutes to apply the wax and comb it and another few minutes to twist the ends”

What’s your moustache inspiration?

“Gentlemen from the Victorian era ranging to the 1940s”

Has having a moustache influenced the way you dress?

“Half and half…the two things influenced each other. The direct ratio would be the height of my trousers to the length of my moustache!”

Do people react differently to you now?

“They certainly comment on it. I think it gives me an air of authority”

Who’s your ultimate moustache idol?

“George Orwell”

Thinking back to LFW, whilst the couture catwalk offerings were undeniably eye catching, we were finding it increasingly difficult not to divert our attention to the emerging makeup trends that were cropping up in tandem with the clothes, making it hard to know where to rest our highly trained eye (note, it was mostly on Kanye West front row)

So, inspired by the plethora of feathery lashes a-la Chloe and in time for the festive frivolities, we herald the return of the 60’s eye. Though obviously a nod to the decade defined by caked on mascara and vats of hairspray, we like to think of this reinvention as a more toned -down -Twiggy.

1. To quickly replicate this doe-eyed look, curl lashes with Shu Uermura eye lash curlers that have been slightly pre-warmed by the hairdryer (emphasis on slightly warmed not smouldering hot)

2. Next coat lashes with a few slicks of our intensely black mascara- the gel formula will coat each lash individually, instantly adding length and body to wispy lashes and can be built up in layers to create bambi-esque eyes

3. To finish pat Mac’s nude lipstick in Myth onto lips to create a muted yet sultry sixties siren.