Here at BB HQ we love a bit of fashion, so every Friday afternoon we’ll bring you a fashion feast – this week we’re inspired, unfortunately, by the imminent rain forecast in the UK for next week. But a few drops of water can’t halt bombshell-style ladies? Look at our Bombshell of the Month, Brigitte Bardot, looking super-cute in a little mac. Every girl should have this fashion classic in her wardrobe. We’ve found some classic beige ones, and some twists on the classic.
Where to buy:
1. Pleat detail mac, £65, www.next.co.uk 2. Brown padded leather mac, £249, Autograph @ www.marksandspencer.com 3. Stormy weather mac, £160, www.frenchconnection.com 4. Classic beige mac, £30, F + F @ www.tesco.com/clothing 5. Cannes trench with piping, £119.99, www.feverdesigns.co.uk 6. Checked pattern “NW3 Holly” mac, £179, www.hobbs.co.uk 7. Belted wool mac, £80, www.asos.com 8. Beige satin mac, £55, www.janenorman.co.uk
A few weeks back we brought you part one of our leading men, good grooming feature, and we promised another part. Here it is, a bit later than scheduled, but we’re mega busy here at BBHQ right now, so we’re not able to post as frequently as we’d like! Hang on in there though, we’ll be back full-time soon!
You think Hollywood’s finest like Clark Gable, Gary Cooper, and Paul Newman were naturally handsome? Well, okay, they probably were, but these days guys have a whole heap of products to help them achieve movie-star looks.
In this post, it’s bodycare and fragrance. And look out for the new Chanel men’s fragrance in another Leading Men post soon.
From left; Paul Newman, Steve McQueen and Rock Hudson show off hot bodies...
Wash and Exfoliate that body
Don’t Paul Newman, Steve McQueen and Rock Hudson look fine?! we bet they’d have loved some of the brilliant ‘men-only’ body products available. It’s important for leading men not just to use any old shower gel or soap. but to have a bodycare routine. That means cleaning and exfoliating that body, guys!
Men's products, from left, Clinique Body Wash, Origins Skin Diver, Anthony for Men Body Scrub...
Products We Like
Origins For Men Skin Diver (£14, www.origins.co.uk) is an active charcoal body wash, perfect for men. Just lather up and let active, Bamboo Charcoal go deep to draw out would-be pore-cloggers and remove the kind of blockage that breeds baddies like bumps, breakouts and ‘bacne’ – that’s back acne!. Clove and Wintergreen deodorize and dissolve surface impurities, and the lovely scent of Spearmint and Rosemary leave you refreshed, recharged and reinvigorated. Perfect!
Leading men also need to scrub that skin, get rid of those dead skin cells from time to time, and we’d recommend using Clinique’s Exfoliating Body Wash For Men (£13, www.cliniqueformen.co.uk) which is a double-duty body wash for all skin types. It is quick lathering and it cleans efficiently whilst non-abrasive grains slough away dead skin flakes and oil. You can use this one daily. However, we’d recommend using the Anthony for Men Sea Salt Body Scrub (£25, www.lookfantastic.com) just a few times a week. It contains sea salt, sea salt kelp, aloe vera gel, nutmeg oil and Vitamin C.
Clockwise from top right; we bet Gene Kelly, Marlon Brando, John Travolta and Robert Redford smelled great...
Scent of a Man
After a good ole’ wash, all leading men have to smell delicious. Acqua de Parma cologne was a big favourite amongst Hollywood stars like Gary Cooper, David Niven and Paul Newman. Another favourite was Eau du Coq Guerlain . Stop sniggering please! We imagine Marlon Brando smelled of his own animalistic scent most, and we think John Travolta in his dancing days would have gone for something ultra-sexy – Sex Panther from Anchorman maybe?!
Products We Like
We can barely get past Tom Ford for Men fragrances for our leading men at BBHQ. We bloody love them! We adore the original Tom Ford for Men EDT Spray (£40, www.harrods.com) which contains the Moroccan Grapefruit Flower, unique to this scent. It yields its blossoms for a brief three weeks – and is is harvested by hand and distilled immediately to preserve its precious essence.This scent has a cedar wood heart, with citrus-y top notes of Italian Bergamot and mandarin zest to name but a few. Tom Ford Extreme EDT (£80, www.harrods.com) is a richer, more sensual scent, with notes including basil, coriander, cardamom and a heart of black plum, parma violet, sandalwood and a pinch of saffron.Rum, Haitian Vetiver, caramel, black truffle and fir balsam blend with leather accord and amber – oh, this smells good!
However, all of our leading men could wear Tom Ford Grey Vetiver EDP (£50, www.harrods.com). We adore this fragrance. It captures the essence of the debonair, charismatic and provocative man – like John Travolta, Robert Redford, Gene Kelly and Marlon Brando (pictured above) all rolled into one! With an elegant, refined heart of natural vetiver, the scent is superbly blended with sun-drenched citrus, refined spices and prized woods.
We also are huge fans here of Clinique’s Chemistry (£40, www.cliniqueformen.co.uk) whcih is subtle, understated and delicious!
Men's fragrances, from left, Tom Ford for Men, Extreme by Tom Ford, Grey Vetiver by Tom Ford, Clinique's Chemistry...
One of our favourite make-up artists, Craig Alexander Wilson brings you this month’s Get The Look, on Bombshell of the Month, Brigitte Bardot…
When I was asked by the Beauty Bombshell office to write this ‘Get Her Look’ for French bombshell Brigitte Bardot I jumped at the chance. Overflowing with sex appeal and an air of effortless glamour that wouldn’t look out of place today, Brigitte really was the original boho babe. The tumbling sun-bleached hair, the dark kohl lined eyes balanced out with an innocent nude lip laid the timeless path for her contemporaries. But try as they may even Kate Moss and the insipid Ms Sienna Miller can’t live up to the Bombshell that is Brigitte. Here’s how to Get Her Look…
As always, start by perfecting your base. I know the girls at BBHQ are big fans of YSL Teint Resist Long Wear Endless Comfort Transfer Resistant Foundation (£28, www.johnlewis.com) which is lovely, long-wear foundation that gives a flawless finish and a great matte base. For Eyes I chose one of Revlon’s Matte Eyeshadows in Vintage Lace, £4.99, www.boots.com) . Blend this all over your lid from lashline to socket. Apply a couple of layers for intensity. Next, line the upper , lower and inner tearline with Sisley’s fantastic Phyto Khol Perfect Eye Pencil in black (£29, www.sisley-cosmetics.co.uk). It contains beeswax and essential oils, and is soft and easy to use.
Coat lashes with BeneFit’s Bad Gal Lash Mascara (£15.50, www.benefitcosmetics.co.uk) in black, of course, and then if you want to really go for those big Brigitte eyes, finish with some fluttering falsies. I suggest a thick black pair from Eyelashes Direct, where prices start at just £2.50. Line the spine of the lash with the glue and with tweezers come down onto your lash as you apply from above then push up to fit snugly at the base of your lash. The key is glue to lash - not lids. Apply another coat of mascara on top to blend your own lashes into false ones.
This Autumn sees a big swing towards velvety rich shades of mink and taupe’s on the lips, and Brigitte’s really does fit this mould. So for a perfect natural pout, line the lips with Mac Lip Pencil in Spice (£10, www.maccosmetics.co.uk) and then before lipstick, to get the bee-stung look, apply a plumping primer. Try BeneFit’s Lip Plump, £14.50, www.benefitcosmetics.co.uk) which you apply, let dry and then put lipstick over Then fill in with Estee Lauder’s Pure Color Long Lasting Lipstick in Vanilla Truffle (£17, www.esteelauder.co.uk) or Clinique’s High Impact Lip Colour in Nude Beach (£14.50, www.clinique.co.uk) for a really solid matte finish. Lipsticks are back in a big way, but if you’re still a glossier fan, why not try a lip balm, like Comfort Zone’s Lip Blooming Balm (£15.50, for stockists telephone 01827 280 080) which you can apply over your lipstick for a bit more shine. With a little blusher, dust some colour onto the apples of the cheeks but not much. Stay away from pinks and look towards camel colours. I like Clinique’s All-in-one Blush and Brush in Hurry Honey (£21.50, www.clinique.co.uk)
For Brigitte’s fabulous hair, It’s all about volume. If you need a hand with that, BBHQ recommends the TIGI Catwalk Your HIGHness range – use the Elevating Shampoo (£8.60) and the Nourishing Conditioner (£9.45). Before blow-drying, comb through a few drops of their Thickening Gel Creme (£8.60) to add body, volume and va-va-voom! Also in the range, available at www.lookfantastic.com, is a fantastic Root Boost Spray (£9.45) which can be sprayed onto sections of hair, and then blow dryed from the root to add extra Brigitte oomph!
I would also recommend finishing with a spritz of Bumble &Bumble Surf Spray (£18, www.lookfantastic.com) through the hair, and and roughing it up for some texture and body. Randomly pin it high, or let it tumble free. Et, voila! Bombshell a la Brigitte!
Every Bombshell should have soft skin. So we adore lovely body lotions that will give you just that! We asked our very own French Bombshell, Axelle Brown-Videau, to test five for us. Here’s her verdict!
1. Estee Lauder Pleasures Delight Body Lotion, £30, www.esteelauder.co.uk
I love Estée Lauder as a brand, the very image of American chic. Their fragrances are lovely. This body lotion is very pleasant, with a luscious fragrance and very easily absorbed. I put it on at nightafter my shower, a real treat. I wouldn’t use it during the day, unless I was layering with the fragrance, so you’d have to have another if you didn’t want to use this one all time time!
2. Simple Derma Intensive Relief Lotion, from £3.19, www.boots.com
My absolute favourite! My Oscar winner. Really fragrance free – smells of nothing at all, so you can add in a few drops of your own cologne or essential oil when massaging in. It’s between a cream and a lotion I’d say, rich but not sticky. You do need to massage it in, but then you can put your clothes on immediately. A brilliant aftersun as well. I also thought it was excellent on the feet, and the elbows and perfect for my baby, so saving on two bottles when away. A complete product. There are no negatives – the packaging may not be the best, but it’s not about that.
3. Clinique Deep Comfort Body Lotion with Pump, £25, www.clinique.co.uk
Really rich, luscious and creamy – just like butter. Easy to put on, with a lovely consistency. In Italy, where I live, I would never use it during the summer because it’s too hot for such a sumptuous cream. But when your skin needs some comfort food during the winter, it’s definitely a yes. My only negative point is the smell – or lack of it. I don’t like the fact that it’s typically Clinique – fragrance free, but with some hint of something. I’d like a real light fragrance in it, to match the luxury of the cream.
4. Johnson’s Body Care 24 Hour Moisture Radiance Body Lotion with Shea and Cocoa Butters, £2.99, www.boots.com
Now i know that Shea is the English word for the Italian, karite! I really like this smell. Very easy to rub in, but I found I couldn’t dress easily. I also thought the hole in the tube was a bit big – I always skooshed too much out, and it’s a pity to waste it. Very nourishing though.
5. Brown & Harris English Rose Body Moisturising Lotion, £5.99, www.brownandharris.co.uk
I was a bit afraid of this one because I am not found of rose fragrance (with the exception of Dr Hauschka, which i love!). However, I was pleasantly surprised. It is not invasive and artificial, it is very subtle and light. Not a cream like the others, but more of a milky lotion. It was non greasy, easily absorbed, but it did leave a light film on the skin – but you feel nourished. Great for Italian summer, but too big to travel with.
BBHQ is in France at the moment, so we’re not posting every day, but we’ve been inspired by French style, and driving through Brittany, have fallen in love with the Marinere top.
What more simple way to get a bit of French style than with a striped top? Fashion has always been in love with their take on the classic Breton. So, team it with a pair of cropped jeans, or some denim shorts, and make like Brigitte.
H&M have a fantastic version in store now, for £7.99, in red or blue, or grab this take on the top from asos.com for just £9.
We thought it was about time here at BBHQ, that we brought some leading men to Beauty Bombshells. So, here they are! And for all your leading men, we’ve compiled an ultimate boys guide, over two posts – today and, well, another day, to good grooming. You think Hollywood’s finest like Clark Gable, Gary Cooper, and Paul Newman were naturally handsome? Well, okay, they probably were, but these days guys have a whole heap of products to help them achieve movie-star looks.
Today we’re starting with shaving, cleansing and moisturising. Next time, we’ll focus on body care, and fragrance. And we’ve enlisted Grooming Expert Jason Shankey’s help. Jason has endorsed the fabulous Boots No7 for Men range.
From left; James Dean, Alain Delon, Clark Gable and Montgomery Clift all loved a good shave...
Shave it off.
There was no room for beards in old Hollywood. Clark Gable’s finely coiffed moustache was as much facial hair you’d see on a movie star from the 1920s right through to the 1970s.
These days, stubble and beards are de rigueur, but shaving is an important part of a man’s daily grooming. To get that perfect shave, you should do it in the shower, according to Jason Shankey “Shave while you’re in the shower and shave with the grain that’s in the same direction as the hair grows. The
heat and moisture from the shower will give you a really close and comfortable shave, and shaving with the grain helps to avoid
ingrown hairs, razor burn and razor bumps.”
Products we love: Origins Easy Slider Pre-shave oil, £16, www.origins.co.uk – turns the toughest stubble into Mr.Softy; No7 For Men Anti Friction Shave Gel, £7, www.boots.com - hydrates and protects skin and helps your razor glide more easily.
Al Pacino, Cary Grant and Gregory Peck are exceptionally clean...
Cleanse and Scrub
Soap and water just isn’t going to cut it. Gregory Peck might have looked clean-cut and handsome on it, but these days men, you owe it to your skin to make a bit more effort. We’re talking facial scrubs once a week, and cleansing products every day.
Products we Like: Scrub up with up with Boots No7 For Men Energising Face Scrub, £8, www.boots.com or try [ comfort zone ] Man Space Scrub Performer, £21.95, stockists, call 01827 280 080, which is a revitalizing purifying scrub gel.Or Japanese brand Kyoku who have a fabulous Kyoku Exfoliating Facial Scrub, £19, www.harrods.com, whcih contains Volcanic ash whcih works to provide a deep exfoliation while Japanese rice bran smoothes and tones.
Men's products, clockwise from top left, Origins, Kyoku, Man Space, Origins, Kyoku, Man Space...
Cleanse the skin with Kyoku’s Daily Facial Cleanser, £19, www.harrods.com, which contains ginseng and peppermint revive and refuel the skin or try Clinique’s Liquid Face Wash in Regular or Extra Strength, £14, www.cliniqueformen.co.uk, to get your skin move star clean.
[ comfort zone ] Man Space Splash Performer, £20, stockists as before, is a facial cleansing equalizer. The innovative re-balancing mild cleansing gel actively removes impurities and helps to control excessive sebum.
Gary Cooper, Tab Hunter, Warren Beatty and Jimmy Stewart...lovely soft skin!
Moisturise – soften that skin
Why do men think they don’t have to moisturise? Yes, even Gary Cooper and Warren Beatty would have the odd dry patch now and then, despite men’s skin on the whole being a lot oilier than women’s. But as we bombshells know, there is nothing more delightful than putting on our face cream, and our skin feeling all soft and refreshed. Men, it’s 2010 – join us please! And after shaving, when you skin may burn use a special after-shave moisturiser, not a splash of Old Spice please! And then more of you might look as adorable as Jimmy Stewart….
Jason Shankey advises: ” “Apply a pea-sized amount of moisturiser onto your hands and rub over your face, particularly on the areas you have shaved. This will put moisture back into your skin and help protect your skin from the environment.”
Ranges: Boots No 7 For Men, Lierac Homme
Products we like: Post shave we’d go with Liz Earle For Men’s After-Shaving Moisturiser, £16.50, www.lizearle.com, which contains natural Vitamin E and hydrates, calms and soothes. Or Boots No 7 For Men Post Shave Recovery Balm SPF15, £8, www.boots.com. And then for really treating your skin, try Origins For Men Save the Males, Multi-benefit moisturizer, £26, www.origins.co.uk, which take a firm stance against lines and wrinkles! Or Boots No7 For Men Anti-Ageing Balm, SPF15, £12, www.boots.com. However, our leading men who are testing a few of these products for us are currently in love with Kyoku Facial Moisturizer, £43, www.harrods.com. With and SPF15 and anti-ageing bamboo and pea extract, it’s an advanced facial moisturiser that hydrates, softens and protects. And coming a close second is Lierac Homme’s Anti-Fatigue Revitalising and Moisturising Gel Cream, £23, www.lookfantastic.com
Today marks the 48th anniversary of Marilyn Monroe’s death. The blonde bombshell was a fine actress, a complex person and even if she isn’t your favourite bombshell of them all, the fact that 48 years after her death, her name and image are still widely recognised is testimony to her enduring appeal.
Marilyn, we salute you.
Our Bombshell of the Month, Brigitte Bardot still loves the heavy eye-make-up look, so what better to test this month than kohl eyeliner pencils. We asked DJ, writer, eco-campaigner, and all round bombshell, Heather Suttie, to try out five for us and she duly obliged!
Over to Heather.
Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay in Place Eyeliner in Onyx (3.) £15, www.esteelauder.co.uk
My eyes are probably the one feature that I love, so I like to make the most of them and they lit up when invited to review these products. For sensitive eyes ( like mine ) this pencil does exactly what is says on the packaging. It wears for 12 hours, sets in seconds and is fragrance free. Great for smoky eyes a la Brigitte as its double ended with a good sponge applicator to smudge. I don’t usually go for long-wear, however when I was filming at T in the Park this was ideal, I didn’t have to retouch it all day. I always feared that Double Wear products would be a nightmare if you didn’t like the end result. Not so, it came off with ease and is a step up from a basic eye pencil.
Rimmel Special Eyes Precision Eye Liner Pencil in Black Magic (1.), £2.99, www.superdrug.com
I’ve used Rimmel eyeliners lots in the past. This possibly has something to do with the fact that I tend to lose them rather a lot, they can slip out of your make-up bag and before you know it, it’s gone, so I usually have two or three in my bag and always a Rimmel number. I’ll admit it, I love how Georgia May Jagger and Kate Moss look in the ads and as they’re so cheap you can have more than a few stashed away. This one is perfect for every make-up bag as you can build up the colour as you go, its not too black after one application.
Vie At Home Eye Definer Precision Liner in Coal, (2.) £7.50, www.vieathome.com
This is the best in my opinion for feline eyes as seen in catwalk shows where Pat McGrath did the make-up design. Less of a pencil and more of a liner its soft and super easy to blend for grungy, gothic black lids. This one is very black, water resistant and long lasting – it also doesn’t rub off. I’ve never used Vie products before and I was presently surprised but my one bug bear is that the smudger is more rubbery than spongy, so its quite hard and drags the skin on your eyelid. Rather handy though is the fact its a twist up, so no pencil sharpener
required.
Dior Crayon Khol Pencil with Sharpener in 99 Black, (5.) £15, www.houseoffraser.co.uk
I’m a big fan of Dior’s cosmetic products, specifically their Diorshow Mascara as it does the trick beautifully and their Crayon Kohl pencil was a joy to behold. Long, sleek and silver, it comes with its own sharpener – you can never have too many accompaniments! Easy to apply, long lasting and looks gorgeous when you whip it out your bag. Ideal for heavy duty top lid lining and soft enough to use in the inner rim. It’s also the longest of all the pencils and therefore it’ll last a while. A proper pencil and my absolute Oscar winner!
Revlon Matte Luxurious Color Khol Eyeliner, (4.) £6.99, www.boots.com.
This was my least favourite of all five. It felt cheap to hold. Plus point, was, if you pardon the pun, the point which is super soft, so ideal for using on the inner rim, but however not great for the minimalist look! I loathed the smudger. It reminded me of cheap pencils you’d buy on a school trip with your pocket money, they look good but make a mess of your work. Disappointed!
We’re coming over all French this month, so who else could we honour as our Bombshell of the Month, than the wonderful Brigitte Bardot. We adore Brigitte here at BBHQ. We could look at her all day long. We’re sure many men could too!
Brigitte made the hearts of every man in her native country flutter when she first appeared in the public eye in the 1950s. Her debut movie was a 1952 comedy, called Le Trou Normand. She married Roger Vadim in the same year, and incredibly starred in 17 films from 1952 to 1956. “She is every man’s idea of the girl he’d like to meet in Paris,” wrote the film critic Ivon Addams in 1955.
Her films of the early and mid 1950s were generally lightweight romantic dramas, some historical, most where she was cast as an ingénue or siren, and often in varying states of undress.
Vadim however, was not content with this, and looking for something more like an art film to push her as a serious actress, he showcased her in And God Created Woman in 1956, with Jean-Louis Trintignant. The film – about an an immoral teenager in a respectable small-town setting - was a smash hit internationally. Many felt Bardot had done more for French international trade than the entire French car industry!
During her career in show business, Bardot starred in 48 films, and also recorded 80 songs. But she retired in 1973 just before her 40th birthday and has spent the years since campaigning for animal rights.
For part of the month of August, BBHQ will be in France, we’ll not be posting as frequently, and we’ll be keeping a distinctly French feel about things, with Brigitte Bardot’s Get the Look, Friday Fashion and lots more to come!
Here at BB HQ we love a bit of fashion, so every Friday afternoon we’ll bring you a fashion feast – this week we’re inspired by sweater-girls! Check out Ava Gardner looking glorious in a turquoise fluffy number. Any bombshell worth her salt works the pin-up look – tight sweater, pencil skirt, cute shorts, or capri pants, and good underwear! We found some fabulous sweaters at Bonmarche, and a real bargain at GIVe – a brilliant studded sweater, reduced from £89 to just £20!
Where to buy: 1. Teardrop neck grey sweater, £25, www.bonmarche.co.uk 2. Fox scarf Sweater, £35, H by Henry Holland @ www.debenhams.com 3. Teal Lulu jumper, £54.99, www.feverdesigns.co.uk 4. Cream bow detail sweter, £34.99, www.riverisland.com 5. Red fairisle style sweater, £14, F+F @ www.tesco.com/clothing 6. Babs studded arm knit, £20, reduced from £89, www.give.co.uk 7. Black lace and pearl detail sweater, £45, www.missselfridge.co.uk 8. Blue satin trim sweater, £24. www.bonmarche.co.uk
