The Beauty Run : May 2017

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As the end of May approaches, two things are jumping out at us here at The Beauty Run. The first being the start of Summer which we've patiently been waiting for throughout the best part of the year, but on a more exciting note the start of a new season welcomes the most important change of all, a new beauty regime.

If you're like me, switching up your beauty regime can quite often be more of a chore than anything. I'm terrible when it comes to throwing away old products, 9 times out of 10 I'll find an excuse to keep absolutely everything from the leftover dribs and drabs to the rose gold packaging I'm still infatuated with.

Over the last couple of years I've tried my best to embrace the less is more approach. Lighter make up, means less coverage which contributes to better skin – especially during summer when my skin is at its oilest. And so to see us through the summer we've devised the ultimate summer proof shortcut to securing sun kissed skin without the need for tons of products.

Step 1

The Body Shop Seaweed Cleansing Gel Wash - £7.50

Seaweed Cleansing Gel Wash

To begin, focus on using a purifying cleanser to prep your skin and remove any impurities. I find The Body Shop's Seaweed Cleansing Gel Wash is great for the morning, it really awakens the skin, leaving it fresh and ready for the day.

Step 2

Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel - £30.00

Clinique's Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel

Next, apply a lightweight day moisturiser to hydrate and smooth the skin. Clinique's Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel is my must have for the summer, as it really works to mattify the skin whilst also creating the perfect pre make up base. An added SPF on top is also good to protect against harmful UV rays. My number one right now is Estee Lauder's Daywear UV Base, £35.

Estee Lauder's Daywear UV Base

Step 3
Too Faced Born This Way Concealer - £20.00

Too Faced's Born This Way Concealer

When it comes to covering up imperfections, I often find full to medium coverage concealers are the right way to go. Too Faced's Born This Way Concealer is a new found favourite at the moment, it's not too heavy on the skin, yet also covers blemishes and glides on so easily for a radiant finish.

Step 4
Diorskin Forever Fluid Foundation - £35.00

Diorskin's Forever Fluid Foundation

If you're after slightly higher coverage, try applying Diorskin's Forever Fluid Foundation with a beauty blender on top of Too Faced's Born This Way Concealer. I especially love this particular formula for the warmer weather - it's lightweight, non greasy and offers long lasting coverage.

Step 5

L'Oreal Paris Miss Baby Roll Mascara - £7.99

L'Oreal Paris Miss Baby Roll Mascara

No summer look is complete without a set of flirty lashes. So try L'Oreal Paris' Miss Baby Roll Mascara to see you through a day at the office, to a hot date without any smears or smudges.

Step 6
MAC Velvetease Lip Pencil in Lover's Lane - £17.50

MAC Velvetease Lip Pencil in Lover's Lane

As all seasons go, I always find my lip colour reflects the weather and my mood more than anything. This summer I'm all for embracing slightly warmer tones to accentuate my lips. I really like this MAC Velvetease Lip Pencil in Lover's Lane which is a great match for all skin tones and offers a high gloss finish.

Step 7

Urban Decay Chill Cooling And Hydrating Setting Spray - £23.50

Urban Decay's Chill Cooling And Hydrating Setting Spray

Complete your look with a spritz of Urban Decay's Chill Cooling And Hydrating Setting Spray, to keep your skin hydrated, cool and most importantly flawless throughout the day.

Words By: Stephanie Orr

Beauty - Sunday, May 28, 2017

7 Tips For Sun Kissed Skin

... As the end of May approaches, two things are jumping out at us here at The Beauty Run . The first being the start of Summer which w...

Fear... that crippling voice telling you that you can’t do something, that gut feeling urging you to run for the mountains. We’ve all been there. Whilst reading Elizabeth Gilbert’s Big Magic, which I’d honestly recommend to anyone who wants to live out their full potential in life – one thing stood out to me the most, which is that fear will always be there.

Source: Unsplash

Using a prominent metaphor of driving a car whilst chasing our dreams, Elizabeth Gilbert highlighted that fear will always be in the car with you. Fear is an instinctual response we have as humans which we have to protect us from danger, so it’s about accepting it and realising that it will always be present regardless. However, as Gilbert states, it’s about forcing fear to take the backseat whilst you allow creativity to be the front passenger whilst you drive the car. As fear usually takes over when it comes to us wanting to pursue our goals and dreams, I felt like it was a good idea to write up a post on how to tackle fear like a BOSS

Recognise

A big part of owning fear is recognising and understanding what fear looks like to you. More often than not, fear is disguised as excuses. For that fashion line you want to start, fear might look like the following: “I’ll start it next year when I’m in a better financial position” or even “I don’t have the time to do this today, I’ll start tomorrow”. However, sometimes you’ll have to dig a little deeper to find out the particular fears that are causing these excuses. Fear of failure is usually quite common when it comes to pursuing our dreams, however these deep rooted fears may look different from person to person. Recognising what fear looks like for you is the first step towards owning and tackling it.

Source: Pinterest

Define What Success Looks Like (For You)

I’m pretty sure that the majority of you have a vision of what you want your life to look like 10 years from now. Really taking time out to identify the things you want and defining what success looks like to you will help when the excuses (fear in disguise) start to kick in. When you know there is something you truly want, and excuses start popping up left right and centre – you’ll know it’s fear talking. Having a clear idea of what success looks like to you will keep you focused, on track and better able to tackle your fear.

Create Small Goals And Targets

Sometimes when we think about the end goal which more often than not is overwhelmingly huge, fear fosters up the most. Fear may kick in and tell you that your goal is unrealistic or not achievable. This is why it’s important to create little steps which lead you to your desired destination. If you’re doing a little something each day which leads you to your final goal, you’ll be better able to manage fear.

Source: Unsplash

Cancel The Naysayers

More often than not, people around you feed into your fears. When those around you tell you that something is unrealistic, or not possible they’re judging you off of their own deep rooted fears. When you feel fearful yourself, having added noise which reinforces these thoughts and feelings isn’t helpful. Once you realise that a lot of advice others give when it comes to chasing your goals is actually based off fear, you’ll realise how some people around are holding you back. You’ve got to cancel out the noise and remind yourself that this is what YOU want and you’re going to go for it anyway. It’s about having the unwavering belief that what you want will be yours regardless.

Feel the Fear and do it anyway

At the end of the day you just have to ignore your doubts and go for it anyway, as it will always be a part of your journey. It’s about not letting your excuses dictate your actions. Your excuses want to keep you in your comfort zone, but in order to move forward you’ve got to ignore them. Like Gilbert said, fear will always be there as it’s a human instinct to keep us safe – however you’ve got to OWN fear and not let it stop you from progressing.

Words By: Malika Isles

Lifestyle - Wednesday, May 24, 2017

How To Tackle Fear Like A BOSS

Fear... that crippling voice telling you that you can’t do something, that gut feeling urging you to run for the mountains. We’ve all been...

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From the bronzy goddesses to glammed mermaids, 2017 is not playing around with the makeup trends, especially not this festival season. Whether you’re turning up at Coachella or chilling in your backyard, we’ve got you the perfect essentials to achieve the #Slaychella look.

Bronzer – Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Matte Bronzer - £25.00

Too Faced

Summer is all about achieving that perfect bronzy tan. Even though winter has just passed and we’re all at our palest, nobody needs to know with this Too Faced festival essential. This matte bronzer will help you achieve a sun-kissed, radiant complexion, and with three different shades, you’ll be sure to find a match for your skin tone. Also, how boujee is this packaging?

Highlight - Jouer Cosmetics Powder Highlighter - £19.00

Jouer Cosmetics

Be the brightest of them all with Jouer’s Powder Highlighter giving your face an unmissable golden shine, fit for the occasion. With one of their four golden shades, you’ll be sure to find one which will compliment your complexion. It’s compact size also means you can take it with you all day to top up your glow as you please.

Eyeshadow - Morphe 25A Copper Spice Palette - $17.99

Morphe

When I think festival, I think of a bronzed, exotic look to compliment the golden sun rays, nothing too heavy or dark. The brand new Morphe 25A Copper Spice Palette is just perfect. With a mixture of highly pigmented matte and shimmer shades, these eyeshadows will help you achieve dimension to your eye look with the vast selection of earthy tones.

Lipstick - Kylie Lip Kits - $29.00

Kylie Cosmetics

I have not yet come across a lipstick that is as long lasting as the Kylie Lip Kits. With this product, you can party at all festival stages, eat and drink as much as you like and I guarantee you that your lips will stay intact all day long. The best thing is, there are so many shades you can pick from which will compliment your neutral earthy eye makeup.

Glitter - MAC Glitter in Reflects Bronze - £16.00

MAC Cosmetics

Now, whats a festival look without some sort of glitter? To get the bronzy goddess look popping – use the Reflects Bronze Glitter by MAC. After applying some Mixing Medium Gel, sweep it just above your cheekbone for extra wow factor, applying as much as your heart desires.

Setting Spray - Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray - £23.50

Urban Decay

Seal it! Of course, you need to end your day looking as snatched as you started it, and just as the name suggests, the Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray is perfect for the job. This product is a favourite here at The Beauty Run, as the product works wonders by sealing your makeup without making you feel sticky. Now you’re ready to party!

Words and Opening Photo By: Gayle Cortez

Beauty - Sunday, May 14, 2017

6 Makeup Essentials For Festival Season

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Fashion - Sunday, May 07, 2017

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Set up at the beginning of the year, L’Atelier MXG is paving a way for itself as a London-based streetwear brand which specialise in the revival of vintage denim jackets with handmade designs. Working with paint, studs, embroidery, sequins and more - the brand transform classic denim into wardrobe statements with both pre-made designs and bespoke services available. We spoke to Founder and Designer Margaux-Alix Gardet to find out more about her entrepreneurial journey so far...

L’Atelier MXG

Tell me a bit about yourself and your journey so far...

I come from an American mother and a French father. I grew up in Switzerland and moved to London at the age of 17 to be a part of an innovative and dynamic environment. I studied fashion, photography, painting and other types of art at London College of Fashion and Chelsea College of Art and Design. I then moved on to get my masters degree at Sotheby’s Institute in Art Business.

How did you start L’Atelier MXG?

The art world is a very male dominated one, and I understood early on that I would never be able to find my ‘spot’ and didn't manage to find a team who could recognise my drive and eagerness. I felt that the field lacked the creativity needed for me to ever be satisfied with a 9-5. So I started making jackets at home for fun, and kept getting asked about them in the streets, so I decided it was time to commercialise them and start L’Atelier MXG.

L’Atelier MXG

What does 24 hours look like for you?

I usually wake up around 8:30, make my cup of coffee and go through my emails (in bed). Each day is different as I run this on my own – so from social media, to marketing, sewing, PR, content creation, photoshoots and fittings I do a little bit of everything each day.

To be honest, I am not the most organised, so I pretty much take the day as it comes. However, most days almost always consist of computer work, sewing labels, running errands around the city and dashing out to buy paint.

L’Atelier MXG

I’m aware all of your jackets are handmade. How long does it take to design and create each piece?

For my latest collection, I spent a good day or two coming up with digital designs, and creating a series of digital images on Indesign and Photoshop. After this, I then think about how I want it to look on the jacket. Designing the idea is the longest process, but once complete I can make about 4 or 5 a day given that I have the appropriate material.

Have you faced any challenges so far? And if so how have you overcome them?

As I kind of just started this for fun, I didn’t think through most of the things a startup should consider. The workload is more than I had ever imagined and I would have definitely organised myself more efficiently. I also wasn’t ready for the financial aspect and the online accounting courses! YouTube tutorials and Google are currently my best friends, as I’m still learning as I go.

L’Atelier MXG

Who and what inspires you?

Art really inspires me. I love anything visually appealing. I also adore contemporary culture, street fashion and music – these really have a major impact on my stimulus.

What is your most proud moment to date?

My proudest moment it probably getting contacted by the biggest fashion publication to date. I don’t want to name drop but that kind of stuff undeniably gets me up in the morning.

L’Atelier MXG

What would you say to a young woman trying to start up her own company? And what are the three attributes would you say she needs to be successful?

Make sure you have your 3 P’s: perseverance, patience and passion. Things get difficult so perseverance is key, and if you work alone it can be hard to get yourself out of bed and keep pushing through. Some days you’ll have zero motivation, the desire to drop everything and get the first job that comes your way because you’re afraid to fail. That’s why It’s important to be surrounded by people who will push you and constantly remind you of why you started.

Patience, because great things take time. Celebrity gifting for instance, can take up to a year before you start seeing results and even building a loyal Instagram following takes a lot of time as well. So, yes patience is a major element. And finally, passion... because that is what’s going to help you overcome obstacles and the rainy days.

L’Atelier MXG

What do you wish you knew before you started the entrepreneurial journey?

I really wish I knew more about the business side to running a fashion label. For example skills such as accounting which are crucial to running a successful business.

Where do you see L’Atelier MXG 10 years from now?

I have no idea, I sort of see it as a living thing and hope to let it organically grow and evolve into what it is meant to be.

What advice would you give to The Beauty Run readers who are interested in starting their own fashion label?

Surround yourself with people who love you and want you to do well. Don’t trust everyone in the industry, and stay true to your vision and designs.

Shop: www.atelier-mxg.com/

Instagram: www.instagram.com/ateliermxg/

Words by: Malika Isles

Fashion - Wednesday, May 03, 2017