Dedicated Follower of Fashion

Bag up Your Beauty

So we've told you how to get fit, what to wear, how to get a salon perfect pedi at home, brought you the best summer shoes, and beach bags. We have tested sun screens, fake tans and makeup and told you which is best value for money...and now it's time for cosmetics bags, to put all your new summer beauty goodies in!

There's absolutely nothing worse than hunting around your biggest beach bag, for loose cosmetics. Why not get yourself a pretty like bag to put it in?

Just because no one will really see your beauty bag, it does not mean to say it should be the ugly old thing you've been carrying around for years! I've picked out six of my absolute favorite beauty bags, and for the purpose of traveling, a good case will come in quite handy. No one wants mushed up makeup! 

Top left-right: Petal Pouch - £22 - Anthropologie, Nautical Wash Bags - £6.99 - Urban Outfitters, Pink Case - $60 - Urban Outfitters, Floral Pouch - £14.75 - Fifty One Percent, Ruffled Clutch - $25 - Murwati. Bottom left-right; Bow Case - £13 - ASOS, Pink Fur - $22.50 - The Zakka.

By Carly Doogan

Get Summer Ready - Summer Haircare

  

(me - mid testing Liquid Keratin)

Summer is a unique time for our hair.... it can can ravaged by the heat, by UV rays...and all we really want is easy care-free, manageable hair.

Here at Dedicated we took a look at some hair care products that we thought might help in the quest for summer perfect hair....and these were our favourites...in no particular order.

When you're jetsetting all over the world....or just roadtripping it for a weekend, hair can get dirtier quicker (I find no matter how short the plane journey, freshly washed and blow dried hair always looks dank and lifeless upon landing) so dry shampoo is a travel must have. With all the brands on the market now we tested quite a few. Tresemme are absolute genius' and have come up with a solution for both curly dry hair and straight oily hair. The Dry Shampoo ($5.49) sprays on and combs out, leaving your hair shiny, clean and smelling fresh for at least 24 hours. The Waterless Foam Shampoo for Curly/Dry hair ($5.49) is truly innovative, you apply the foam much like you would a mousse, but the foam is much lighter. It gives your hair a nice sheen, again leaving it looking fresh and clean, you can towel dry off any excess oil - but I didn't need to.

Another great 'dry shampoo' product is 'Shampowder' from Buttercream Cosmetics ($15.99), it comes in a variety of colours for all shades and is contained in a nifty brush applicator system. The powder sits in the tube handle of the brush and you simply tap the applicator to make the powder flow and then dust the posder onto your roots with the brush. Perfect for a quick greasy roots fix and even has a nice light fragrance, my only criticism would be that it did get a little messy, the powder didn't just end up on my head!

Keeping hair manageable for summer, especially for travel is essential and the most impressive product I used was the Liquid Keratin Starter Kit. Liquid Keratin works much like a Brazilian Blow Out, except it's cheaper and you can do it at home. Yayness.

There are quite a few steps and the very first application is a little complicated (I actually thoroughly messed up the first time - not reading the instructions properly and had to start again) You begin by washing your hair with the supplied shampoo (which smell a little chemically, but not overpowering or headache inducing) and then towel dry your hair. They call the next step 'Activating' the product, saturating your hair in the included spray, leaving for half an hour, blow drying (properly in sections) and then flat ironing. After 48 hours you then wash and condition the hair using the included products (they call this 'Neutralizing' the product) Then use the the Spray on 'Filling' conditioner and blow dry and style as you wish. This process is supposed to keep your hair frizz free and manageable for up to 30 days, but I did find as soon as I stopped using the additional products I lost the results, it should be noted that it did fade my coloured hair... which for me wasn't a bad thing as I don't have an expensive dye job and I don't hate my natural hair colour.

At $69 it's not a cheap purchase, but I would say it's worth it. My hair was shiny, stong, frizz free and easy to style the whole time I was using it, Mr Style told me, unprompted, that I had 'TV Hair' - think what you will!

Garnier Fructis make most of my favourite hair care products and they have two great 'frizz management' products, the Anti Frizz Serum and the Brilliantine Glistening Drops. Both are great for pre drying styling and for smoothing the frizz post drying. Both products come in under $7 and I usually purchase mine at my local Target. Bria also got to try Citre Shine Laminating Spray ($4.49) resulting in the glowing review below:

"I am usually skeptical of hair products. I am very low maintenance with my hair; I don't even wash it every day, much less blowdry, straighten or style it. Usually it's in a braid or a bun and left wavy. But for the sake of getting the most out of the Citre Shine Anti-Frizz Spray Laminator, I put a little more effort into my hair. I washed it, dried it, and then I raked through all of the tangles to straighten it.

After brushing and straightening, I followed the instructions: "Style hair. Hold 6-8 inches from head and lightly mist over finished style." And I was very impressed! Instead of feeling greasy like most hair products, Citre Shine went on light and didn't weigh down my hair. It has a nice, light citrus scent that isn't overpowering. And the bottle also says it protects hair against heat damage and environmental stressors, as well as taming frizz and treating split ends. For the first time in awhile, my hair looked pretty good!

It wasn't a hugely dramatic change, but my hair looked shinier, healthier and just more finished. It was a nice change from the normal wavy mess my hair usually is and I got compliments on it all day. I think it's safe to say that I'll be using Citre Shine more often in the future, as it was super easy to apply and the effects lasted all day. The anti-frizz formula will also definitely come in handy for the upcoming humid Michigan summers!" ~ Bria Berger

***

If you're anything like me then dry hair is predictably part of summer (and part of winter too when I'm located in in a cold and windy climate) My new favourite product, which I discovered in Target whilst 'trying new things' for the purpose of this post, is 'Herbal Essences - Long Term Relationship - Leave in Conditioner and Split End Protector for Long Hair' - quite a mouthful but everything it says on the can. Work into damp hair before drying for soft and shiny hair, it smells great and works a treat. I also found it works really well on dry hair hair too, making the hair extra shiny and completely eliminating frizz. It's completely bargainous too ($3.49) which is always a bonus.

I also tried the Triple Nutrient Spray ($5.99) from Garnier Fructis - it works in much the same way but it spray on instead. It's a very oily product, and really should only be used on very dry hair, but if you have thirsty hair - do it! It'll work a treat!

One thing that is often forgotten in the summer time is that hair needs protecting from UV rays just as much as your skin does - especially colour treated hair. There are very few products on the market that cater to this however, and the ones that do don't come cheap. However, Victoria's Secret, of all places, makes a great spray on protector called 'VS So Sexy - Protect and Revive UV Shield Spray' ($14) it not only protects your hair but it made mine shiny too!

Lastly, beach hair can be fun...it's not all doom and gloom. There have been a few products over the years that I used to love to crack out in the summer to give me the perfect beach bum waves, from John Freida's Ocean Spray and Starlit Waves - both discontinued, to Sunsilks 'Waves of Envy'  - also recently discontinued (though I did find it available on Amazon here)

In searching for their replacement I tried both Garnier Fructis' 'Wonder Waves' ($4.29) and Rainwater Botanicals 'Dead Sea Salt Spray' ($9). The 'Wonder Waves' works well, but hair is left a little 'crisp' and feels quite styled, whereas the 'Dead Sea Salt Spray' leaves hair wavy and styled but soft and natural. An added bonus is that it's completely handmade, natural and affordable, it also leaves your hair smelling fresh and beachy - perfect for summer!

What product gets your hair through the summer? I'd love to hear in the comments!

By Kelsi Smith

Get Summer Ready: Protect Your Skin

We can no longer ignore the effects of the sun on our skin, and tanning beds are adding even more danger to our skin.Not only does it cause premature wrinkles and sagging, there is also the more serious factor of skin cancer.

In 2007, the FDA published that over 10,000 people die of skin cancer every year.
Why do we constantly soak children in sunscreen, but for some reason think "it will never happen to me". Your skin is sensitive regardless of age. If covering children head-to-toe in sunscreen is for the good of their health, shouldn't we then follow our own advice and do the same to ourselves? Or are we just hypocrites and setting a bad example?

I think we always knew deep down that the sun was bad for our skin, but we chose to ignore it. However, these days it is so hard to ignore the big "C" word. And the warnings are endlessly in the media. Adverts are telling us to avoid the sun between 11am and 3pm, to cover up, sit in the shade, apply a high SPF cream...
I mean, if the sun is getting so hot its melting the ice caps, God only knows what it could be doing to our unprotected skin.

Sunscreen comes in an array of forms, and powder sunscreens are becoming popular, so there is no excuse to not be protected. Powder sunscreens often have less chemicals, than it's liquid cousin, and the general rule is that if you can't pronounce the chemical, then it probably should not be on your skin.
Dermatologists outline six skin types:

Type 1 - skin burns easily, and never tans.
Type 2 - skin will tan a bit, but is still very sun-sunsitive.
Type 3 - may but slightly, but tans lightly.
Type 4 - tans moderately.
Type 5 - rarely burns.
Type 6 - never burns due to dark tones already present in the skin.

Whilst it is advisable for every skin type to wear a sunscreen, the most sensitive are skin types one to four, and they're the most prone to skin problems.

Don't be fooled by overcast sky either, some of my worst sunburn has occurred when I thought I was safe as it was cloudy...and naive, and stupid judgment. 

There are an increasing number of beauty products (foundations, powders, lipsticks) making their way in to the market, with a SPF of anything between 5 and 20. Beauty essentials with an SPF? Perfect!

If you know you're going to be spending the day in the sun, then sunscreen should be an integral part of your daily skin routine. Sunscreen should be the last product you apply to your skin and it  should also be applied at least thirty minutes before you plan on going out in the sun. A water resistant sun screen is best, as you don't have to worry about it sweating off. In my personal opinion, even if the lotion is 'waterproof', I advise reapplying as soon as you get out of the ocean or the pool. An SPF lip balm should be a staple in your handbags during the summer months.

Recently I got to try E.L.F's powder sunscreen.

An powder with an SPF of forty five...that can't work, can it? Surely a powder can't provide the same protection as a liquid sun screen of the same SPF?

Yes, I am a skeptic. And, I was in fact, proven...wrong! I was truly amazed with this powder. We've had a beautiful week or so of hot, sunny, sunscreen worthy weather. So it was a fantastic time to try out this powder. My skin is stupidly fair, and I've got to use an SPF50 on my body, chest and face, and at least an SPF15 on my lips. My skin burns, and never tans, and more often than not, I will blister. My skin does not like the sun. I tested this powder for five days, applying to my face and chest (my main problem areas for sunburn), and applied my liquid sunscreen (SPF45) to my arms and shoulders, for a comparison. I can honestly say, hand on heart, this powder works as well as a liquid sunscreen. My face did not burn, nor did my chest. You may question how I knew it had worked...well, because on the day after I stopped testing this product, and I had not used any SPF protection, my skin burnt. It is truly fantastic, and I really do recommend this product. Especially considering the small price tag.

I continued with my usual three step skincare routine; cleanse, tone, moisturize. I did my makeup as normal. And applied this over my make up, using the powder puff you get in the pot! The powder itself is quite sheer, so its fairly unnoticeable. You could, if you wanted, use this as a face powder, and build up a fuller coverage using a kabuki brush. My chest, I also just moisturized and applied with the powder puff. I can stress enough the importance of moisturizing with this product. Unless you have fairly oily skin, this product will not stay on you skin, without a little help.

I adore ELF products for many reason, they're both reasonably priced, and they do actually work as well as more expensive products on the market. And, as a bonus, they're cruelty free and not tested on animals!
I cannot stress how much I love ELF products. I started to use them about two years ago, as they were cheap, and perfect for a small budget. I managed to replace my entire outdated makeup bag essentials for less than $25, and price I would often pay for one product! I recommend you buy this product, and you will not be disappointed.

Available at Eyes, Lips, Face for $6.

(this product was provided by E.L.F for purposes of review)

By Carly Doogan

Get Summer Ready - Tanners - Tried and Tested

Infinity Sun - At Home Spray Tan - Tanner - $35, Exfoliator - $40, Tan Extender - $40.

Infinity Sun are well known for their spray tan systems but now they've engineered their spray tans into a bottle and are providing some fantastic back up products.

The tanner itself is not that easy to use, it's hard to spray yourself evenly and it's sometimes hard to get the right angle to spray far enough away. So the first time I used the product was a little messy, and I did not get the even tan I'd hoped for.

However with each of these products we'd agreed between us to give them a second go - tanning at home isn't easy and can take some practice. For my second round with the system I enrolled Mr Style to spray me down. The results: a perfect tan and a happy husband (he's apparently quite the spray tan artiste) Again it was messy. I stood in the bath tub and it did need a good run down with water afterwards -and it was still hard to stop my feet getting too dark.

The 'back-up' products were absolutely wonderful. The exfoliator is entirely non abrasive, breaking down the dead skin with enzymes and smells like pineapples! It actually works - which was unexpected - as you know I'm one to scrub and scrub to exfoliate! You put it on dry, rubbing it in - leave it on for five minutes and the shower off - it can be a little awkward waiting for five minutes with sticky legs - but it's worth it.

The moisturizing tan extenders one with shimmer, one without works really well....my tan lasted 10 days and I received compliments on the colour from many. I love the shimmery moisturizer as it really is very subtle.

So all in all I really recommend this line of tanning products..you just need to enroll a friendly friend or husband for your perfect tan! I'll be heading to  Infinity Sun to try out their professional spray tan soon - I'll let you know how that goes!

Kelsi Smith

***

Whipped Chocolate Self-Tanning Mousse by Body Drench - via Amazon - $12.99

This tanning mousse by Body Drench is a good option for first-time tanners. It goes on easily and gives skin just a hint of color. In my experience, the amount of tanner applied in one sitting did not necessarily mean a darker tan, so no waking up to dark orangey skin that you want to cover up! 

Even though it takes about two hours following application to see the result of the tanner, a dark tan takes a few applications over several days. Because I did not notice a huge change (other than a healthy glow) on the first try, I followed with a second application a day later, which resulted in a slightly darker color. My sister tried the tanner as well and did not reapply the tanner after the first try, so it faded within a couple days. 

Again, this is a nice product for first-time tanners since the color comes on gradually after numerous applications. The foamy mousse is fun, and it smells good!

By Sarah Corley

***

Solerra Bronzing Mitts - $24.94 for 4 & Solerra Exmitts - $11.95 for 3

I was so so excited to try these tanning mitts from Solerra, I do like to tan - and as we know now it's not safe to do it naturally - but I'm often put off by the mess, so the idea of a completely mess free tan was definitely a draw.

I got to try both the Ex-Mitt and the Instant Bronzing Mitts. The Ex-Mitt is an exfoliating and moisturizing disposable mitt that works really well - it is rough - but it does the job and it smells exactly like blue raspberry freezer pops (it took me awhile to put my finger on what the smell was - but that's exactly it!)

The bronzing mitt is the best tanning product I have ever used. The mitt isn't very easy to get on, if I could try it again (this was one I was unable to try again as it was a one use product) I would use baby powder or talc on my hand to get on with ease. However, once on, the mitt glides over the skin evenly distributing tanner over your body, and the mitt makes even the hardest to reach places, not easy, but at least reachable! And because the mitt only has so much tanner on it, there's very little risk of patches or too dark spots (I left my feet till last which solved my usual too much tanner on the feet problem)

I used two mitts for my entire body - however I think I could of gotten away with one, it's hard to say because I didn't even try to use just the - that and I'm not exactly short at 5ft 10!

The colour the mitt produced was even, deep, natural but bronzed. I was so very impressed by this product. Easy to use, great colour and at just under $25 for four, it's affordable too and is therefore the winner of this little challenge!

By Kelsi Smith

***

Dark Lotion Absolute Luxe by XEN-TAN - $56

Since I am naturally very fair and especially prone to sunburns, I have never been one to just layout in the sun without sunscreen. I gave up trying to get tan years ago when I realized that my sunburns hurt too much and did not even turn to tan skin. So I have embraced being fair and dressed in a way that complements it. But recently, XEN-TAN found me and made me realize that a natural-looking tan can be possible without the sun. 

As advised on the instructions, one should apply to clean skin and use the instant color as a guide. You can use your hands or a mitt provided by XEN-TAN—I preferred using my hands. On my first application, I doubted that it was even working because the instant color was not very noticeable on my skin. Since it is a time-release tanner lotion, it was difficult to know how much was being applied. At one point, I went a little overboard on the lotion and had to correct later-realized skin smudges with some exfoliation. But when applied not as thick, the tanner worked well and showed up in a natural color with minimal streaks. 

In the application process, I found it important to allow myself plenty of time. At one point, I spread the lotion on my legs and went on to work. When I came home, my legs were a beautiful color, but there were a few streaks from my clothing (my mistake!). On my second round, the result was much better, as I devoted more time to let everything dry completely. Expect it to fade slightly after 5-7 days and reapply to keep up the look or go darker.

Overall, this is a fantastic product. The color is rich, the lotion smells good, and the tan lasts!

By Sarah Corley

***

Jergens Natural Glow Daily Moisturizer (Revitalizing, Medium-Tan) - Drugstore.com - $8.49

The Jergens 'natural glow' daily moisturizer is one of those products that does exactly what it says on the tube. Use it every day and the colour will gradually build up over time and at the same time will keep your skin moisturized and revitalised at the same time.

The colour that builds up is very light but very natural, making it the perfect first step for a first time tanner. That said is as the colour does build up it starts to look dull and you do notice a build up, I'd recommend a good exfoliation between every two-three applications to keep the colour fresh and natural.

It's remarkably available in two shades and two formulas - fair-medium and medium-tan and revitalizing or firming. It's also available as a facial moisturizer.

Altogether the best looking natural colour you're going to get for under $10, a great and inexpensive way to try out a tanner for the first time and is therefore the winner of our best value prize.

By Kelsi Smith

Lovely Luggage

Mr Style and I have been on the hunt for a new luggage set for awhile - our luggage has reached the height of embarrassment - but at the same time we're reluctant to shell out a lot of cash for pretty luggage for fear that the airport baggage handlers won't love and appreciate it as much as we do.

Now if I could choose any luggage, regardless of cost or practicality, I'd pick out something classic from SteamLine Luggage, I've been obsessed with their vintage style, steamtrunk luggage for sometime now and it's getting to a point where we might throw caution to wind and make a purchase.... perhaps.

I've gathered some other fancy luggage selections for your perusal and various personalities, which in retrospect read a lot like Spice Girl personas...but enjoy nonetheless.

Luggage Pictured Above: SteamLine Luggage - Producer Series - $145 - $220

 

The red lipstick of luggage - this is as shiny and vibrant as luggage gets - sturdy and easy to spot on the baggage carousel!

Luggage Pictured Above - Target - $199

 

For the sporty -type who likes a little flash - this practical Roxy set would work perfectly - lightweight and fun!

Luggage Pictured Above - Roxy via Zappos - $169

 

If Barbie were to throw off the shackles of Ken and take a trip, go travelling around the world to find herself (I mean with all the personas she's had over the years she must be a mess!) then these DVF beauties would be sure to accompany her.

Luggage Pictured Above - Diane von Furstenberg via Luggage Online - $338.86

For the ultimate in express yourself luggage this fantastic set does the trick. Stunning, bright and fantastically stand-out, perfect for the artistic type (though I'd argue if you're truly artistic you'd buy some plain luggage and paint it yourself right?!)

Luggage Pictured Above - Britto via Amazon - $1060

By Kelsi Smith