It is classic and it fits perfect by the time of the year. 

To a large extend in London is the trend good visible, but also on the catwalks in Paris the grandmother-look became frequent noticed. (For example the last shows of Giles Deacon and Gareth Pugh.)

This winter and in the beginning of 2010 these "Granny Grey" look will be the new trend  under young, trendy girls and women.

Trendy fashionista’s & stars as Pixie Geldof, Victoria Beckham, Pink and Karen O, that previously often went for blond locks in their hair, are you already for and hide away their grey hairs not longer.  They choose now also for a hair style that looks like on that of their grandmother and it can and may this year also.  So, do you have already spot grey hairs into your coupe, don’t panic.  And when you really might wanna run to the hairdresser, do not paint your hair in brown or blond then, but (only) totally grey! 

If you want  to create a Punk look, then paint some single blue highlights in your grey granny coupe (or someone else fierce color) only not too much. 

Fortunately there be allowed color and shine on the face again this year! Bring a little bit glow powder on your cheekbones and let they come more into the front this way. Across you can bring on your blusher. This can be blushers in all sorts of shapes and tinge, just what you like or what fit the best by your own complexion. Do you have by nature a pale skin and are you light blond? A smooth pink blusher let your skin looks less gray. Are you a brunette with a warm skin colour? Then Redbrown blushers are the way to go.

This summer everything around and on the eyes turns gold!  Eyeliner around the eyes may still continue, just as red lips, in all sorts of tints. Pink-red, brown-red, cherry, orange-red, you name it! Warning: this last color can make your teeth looks a little bit (more) yellow.
Personal I advice to put accents ór only on your lips, ór on your eyes. Do you have black outlined eyes or Smokey eyes? Then a smooth, almost ‘nude’ tint on your lips is already enough. When you goes for bright red lips, then only use mascara.

Tip: A strong shining, light golden tint eye shadow in the middle of your lips (for example across your brown red lipstick) make your lips optical a little more full.

Your face

A healthy, smooth and lightly shining skin is perfect this spring and summer! 
 

The eyebrows

Your eyebrows may be seen again this spring. Striking but natural eyebrows are totally hot! You reach this through using an eyebrow pencil or eyebrow powder to set ‘the start’, put it on considerably. Or let your eyebrows grow a little bit. 
 

The eye make-up

This year will be the year of the fierce colors! Especially blue is a much seen color! The nude colors eyeshadow still work, just as the smokey eyes. But the brighter, the better!
On the catwalk you will see this year many Eyeliner! The lashes may attract  attention with many mascara.
 

The lips

Also with your lips, you can go many directions this year. Whether it is a shining lip balm or lipstick in a bright color or perhaps a natural lipstick! Take care that you have in every case something on your lips. Warm red lipstick is totally in. Think of orange/brown tinge. Old-fashioned pink lipstick is also totally ‘hot’!
Do never combine bright lips with striking eye make-up, because this gives you a clowns-effect and that is really not done!
 

You can only look good if you feel good, you will send out the positive vibes naturally.

So, if you are thinking to visit a hairdresser for cutting or painting your hair the coming weeks. Here in advance the new hair trends for 2009.

The new hair fashion becomes much shorter. The modern short hair styles have a pony that is cut rounded and carried in front of the face.

The new spicy and self-conscious short hair styles are more feminine than ever and will be the summer trend in 2009. 

Women with long hair: Wear your hair out of your face.  Preferably tightly to the back! What you can do then with the hair on the back of your head is up to you: a plait, a bun, a roll or a hair tie.
Don’t fancy a firm coup, then consider a nonchalant look. Therefore you put your hair in a not so tightly/loose pony tail, bun or pin up your hair. For the nonchalant effect you’re pulling some strings of hair out of the model. The crest is also back as a 2009 hairstyle!

If you want a stylish, romantic or trendy look! It can and may all.

Stylish 2009 hair styles
2009 will be marked by firm geometric shapes and all kind of glances. Amongst the stylish (2009) hair styles, there is much notice for the finishing touch and the details. Here comes the professional skills of your hairdresser clearly too an expression.
Some examples are: perfectly cut bob-lines with asymmetric layers, (side) parts or large curls.
 

Plaiting
You can do a lot more with plaiting than you would consider at First. Plaiting horizontal, twisted and a casual plait are fun but put up and in the shape of a hair tie are optional too.

Romantic 2009 hair styles
The romantic hair styles are noticed through many volume, playful forms and a high feel-good-character. Also these hair styles are often cut in layers. Think of beautiful full curls, ‘wooly’ styled models or long hair in styled layers.

The crest
Back to the ‘80s & ‘90s! You’ll notice that a model with a crest can stay up much longer when you first start fluffing it up by taking a stend of hair and combing the hair back to the head. This fluffing up will provide body for your coup. If necessary with the help of some clips and many, many hairspray!

Trendy hair styles
Especially when you want a trendy look, then you choose for a coupe with many striking contrast in the lengths and rough cut and styled strings. This hair style goes great with the fashion image with bright accented and risky combinations. To make you hairstyle more personal you can mix various styles with each other. Everything can and goes, feel free!

Wacky hair accessories are doing it great this summer!

Mix a teaspoon honey with a teaspoon vegetable oil and a few drops lemon juice.  
Rub in your hands, elbows, heels and other dry spots with this mix.  

Let 10 minutes withdraw,  then rinse with warm water.  
 

Your eyes will find it also very delightfully when they wanted to be spoiled sometime with a caring eye mask. Normal facial masks are in general not very good suited for the eye zone.

When you use foundation, choose for an hydrating foundation. Nowadays they are so advanced that they take care of and protect  your eyes and face against the cold and air pollution. Ofcourse you bring the foundation on your whole face for a natural effect. If you have an oily skin, go for a less rich foundation as an oil free foundation with a less shine effect.

Clean your eyes with soft, hydrating eye lotion or eye gel. Avoided products with alcohol that dry out your skin. Choose for an ingredient as almond oil for a soft cleaning.

Daily I receive mails with the question or there are special facial masks for Winter. The answer is yes. Therefore I have decided to describe a number of self-made winter masks for you women that you can try this Winter.

As many of you know I’ve post an article about self-made facial masks earlier. Many readers of this blog has tried these home-made masks that I’ve had wrote about. and I got amusing and positive reactions on that (thank you!).
I hope to amuse you also with this special winter edition

These 5 self-made (winter) facial masks will make you forget about the cold and nasty winter outside!

1. Banana Mask

Try a (softening) banana mask when your skin is suffering from winter elements.
It will moisturize, soften, smooth and nourish your skin whenever it is necessary.

What do you need for this?
Bananas
Sweet cream

Crush the bananas and mix with (fresh) sweet cream. Then put this mask on your face (keep your eyes free).  After 30 minutes you remove the mask of your face and wash it clean with hand warm water.

2. Oatmeal Mask

This mask is probably not your favorite mask (cuz it stinks ) but it is a great remedy for your skin for example by a cold wind. For all the people with a dry skin; An oatmeal mask has a lovely scrubbing effect  and is a good moisturizer too.

Needs for this:
raw oatmeal flakes
egg yolk
honey

The next step is to mix  the raw oatmeal flakes, egg yolk and honey together.
Let it absorb on your face for about 20 minutes, wash off with lukewarm water, and pat dry.

If you do it right, your facial skin should feel very soft, refreshed and reborn after the application.

3. Cultured Milk Mask

A cultured milk mask protect your skin  from negative influences of winter air and it restores the natural PH balance of your skin too.

It’s easy to make and this mask is an effective cure for the tired skin.

You need:
natural yogurt
buttermilk
sour cream or kefir

Bring on a little bit of natural yogurt, buttermilk, sour cream (or kefir) on your face. Please avoiding areas around the eyes!! 
Now you can relax for 10-15 minutes.  When the 10-15 minutes has been gone, wash your face with cold water. 

Because this mask has a rejuvenating working your skin will feel much softer after using it.

4. Avocado Mask

Lot of people have a dry or irritated skin in Winter, this can be very annoying.
This easy to make mask is perfect for dry skin because it is full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants  and soothing means that nourishing your skin. 

To make an avocado mask you need:
Avocados
extra-virgin olive oil

Then crush the meat /flesh of avocado with a fork, add a drop of extra-virgin olive oil. The mixture must look smoothly now. 
Put the fragrant mixture on your face and wait for 15 – 20 minutes.

These (used) constituents are necessarily to fight against the winter dryness and this is why it can protect your skin good.

5. Egg White Mask

An egg white mask is good for an oily skin.
This mask will refresh and tighten your oily skin and will make it look much healthier than before.

I honestly tell you that I haven’t  tried this facial mask my self.

The only thing you need is an egg.
Separate the egg yolk from the egg white.

I know it sounds awful but hey, you must do something to look well  
Spread beaten egg white over your face, let it absorb for half-an-hour, and rinse off with warm water.

Some people say that  it will create a natural barrier in Winter to protect your skin from hard/ bleak winds and frost.

* Foto credits to:
- For the Kefir grain picture: flickr user muckster
- For the egg white picture: chefspencil

(I don’t know these persons, but I used a photo they had make that I found on the Internet, So I think a credit is on the right place )

Rub it in!
Use every day  a day crème with a nourishing effect and don’t forget about your nail groove since they can dehydrate very easily! There are special pens available for your nail straps/ grooves. This handy little tool, that is foresee of an oil, is taking care of your nail straps and with the point of the pen, you can push them a little bit backwards at the same time. The oil helps with this to do this all a bit smoother. 
 
Handgloves
Are your hands full with cloves and are they very painful? Cover them before you go to bed with a thick layer of  Vaseline or hand cream. Wear cotton handgloves and let your hands absorb the cream all night. Sterile cotton hand gloves can be purchased at almost every pharmacy.’Earth Therapeutics’ has special warm gloves like the ‘Moisturizing Handgloves’. These gloves use your body temperature to make the cream softer which makes the healing crème easier absorbed by your skin.

Mask
These days we have different hand crèmes in the store. The assortment is growing and growing. It wasn’t always like this; in the early days the assortment wasn’t as big as now or crèmes were too expensive for particular families. Creating a mask yourself is easier than ever before with ingredients of own kitchen. you’ll be astound, but it works!

One of grandma’s old receipt box: Mix 1 teaspoon honey and 1 teaspoon mineral oil with a few drops lemon juice. Rub in your hands with this. Let the mixture absorb for about 10 minutes and wash it off with warm water. Result: Your hands are soft again and do never radiate as before! 

Peeling or scrub

Also your hands need some scrubbing once in a while. A good peeling or a scrub is a real reward for your hands which helps you to remove all the dead skin cells. This will result in a healthier and better breathing skin and are nutritious crèmes better absorbed. You can make a hand scrub quite easily by yourself to mix through some sea salt with oil.  After a scrub or peeling you’ll always need to rub your hands in with a rich nutritious hand cream.

washing
Wash your hands with a feeding, soft soap. Dab your hands dry, instead of rub them dry.

Cleaning
Is it time for your spring break house cleaning? Cleaning detergents contain aggressive acids which dehydrate your skin. Always wear while you’re cleaning latex hand gloves to protect your hands!

Outside
When it’s  freezing, nothing is more delicious then feeling warm. Your fingers will cramp-up  from the cold. Once within in a warm space they will warm up again and that will result in a tingling sensation in your fingers. Protect your hands against the cold with hand gloves before you go outside.

Little tip: Always make sure you have the right size gloves; by too small hand gloves your fingers will swell, by to large hand gloves it goes journey!

Do you feel tired and spiritless and can you use a fresh boost?
Expensive masks are not always necessary. You can make them quite cheaply yourself and they have the same effect. Do you want to know how? Than it’s now time to get busy in the kitchen and create one of the following self made masks.

(Warning: if you have a very sensitive skin or if you have problems with allergies then do be carefully!  When the mask is irritating, wash the mask of immediately.)

A mask close and tightens your skin, this results in a better blood flow. Because of this the toxins (waste product) and dead skin cells are transported.

It’s not recommended to use a facial mask every day but  one or two times a week can’t harm you. You will see that your skin is feeling tight, soft and brand new when you’ve used a mask.

Before starting make sure your skin is completely clean. This means that your make-up is totally removed and your skin is properly washed. Then tie up your hair in a tail or carry a hair tie; most important is that there is no hair in front of your face. Now you are ready for the first step: making a scrub.

What do you need for this?
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon sea salt
3-5 drops essential oil (for example lavender or tea tree)
(for a dry skin you can use 1 tablespoon sugar in stead of sea salt.)

Mix these ingredients through each other and scrub your face with this mixture. Don’t do this too hard, but with soft turning around movements. But remember: Do not scrub more often than 2-3 times a week!!
Now your skin is thoroughly cleaned, you can try one of the following masks…

For the dry skin
3 tablespoons olive oil
the egg yolk of 1 egg
1 tablespoon warm honey
1 tablespoon pureed avocado
1 teaspoon sour cream

For the greasy/oily skin solution 1
1 pureed peach
1 tablespoon yoghurt
2 tablespoons oats
1 tablespoon honey

Or

Solution 2: mask of yeast (gist)
Solve a teaspoon bakers yeast in some warm milk. Wait till it foams and bring it on at your skin. 

For the normal skin
½ pureed cucumber
2 teaspoons yoghurt.
2 tablespoons powder milk

Against blackheads: egg masks
Mix foamed egg white with some drops of lemon juice

Mix all ingredients through each other and bring the mixture as equal as possible on at your face and neck. Be sure to keep the skin area around your nostrils, lips and around your eyes free.
Let it absorb for about 15-20 minutes and wash it off with lukewarm water. A baby towel should be ideal to wash of the remainders along your hair line, ears and nostrils.

Dab your face dry.

Does your skin feel tense?  Spread some day crème on your face and you’ll see (and feel) it works.

I also wrote a Winter edition, because your skin need some extra attention and care. So when you want to know more about how to make a winter facial mask, just click the link and you jump automatically to the article.