Recently though i messed up big time, i arrived late, didn't warm up and just started straight into try and catch up, i was all flustered from being late and wasn't fully concentrating when after the 2 circuit bent down to adjust down a weight and felt a huge pull in my back, 3 full days on the flat of my back staring at the ceiling, that badly needs to be painted, gave me plenty time to reflect on how I'm not wonder women, and how stupid i was not to have just asked one the lads to help me as it was clearly far to heavy a weight for me lift , but that's my problem, i like most women hate to ask for help, and it was easier to just go with the flow, follow the rest, it was easier for me to struggle on and copy the other's instead talking up and saying that it was to heavy for me, or i should have just skipped that one knowing it was not for me, but being the Muppet i am i had to try it, i was so mad at myself because i should know better, i wasn't brought up to just follow the back, being individual and knowing my own mind has always being my strong point, i see this everyday in my own job as a beauty therapist women of all ages coming in and saying "oh i don't tone the girls in college said it bad and none them do it, so i don't", or "my sister never toned so i don't" or worst of all "i read some were not to tone, none of the celebs do it" ya right.

Toning is by far the most beneficial thing any women can do for her skin, yet toning is the number one beauty product 7 out of 10 women don't use, and why because they choose to follow the crowd and conform to what some else is doing, they don't stop to think that their skin has it's own individual needs and is not the same as everyone else is and by not toning the only resemblance you end up having like everyone else is the blackheads, blocked pores and frequent spots.

Last week we spoke about cleansing and the importance of cleansing correctly and removing products from the skin by cleansing as explained we are opening up all the pores of poor skin these pores stay open unless we physically close them up, toner is what is needed to close these pores up, by not closing them up is the number one reason so many women today have constant outbreaks of spots, more problematic skin, and why acne is on the increase, if your not toning then every bit of makeup, every time you step outside the dirt and bacteria from indoors and outdoors is going straight into your skin clogging up these open pores to form blackheads and spots.

DID YOU KNOW

Cold water is not enough to close pores up, there a bit of a myth of old that cold water was better than toner or the equivalent but this is not the case, in fact cold water can be to sever on the skin and shock it causing broken capillaries and thread veins to form.

Rose water was 20 years ago a very suitable toner for sensitive skins not anymore, it now an ingredient in many toners but anyone relying on it still today as there toner will not be getting enough what there skin really needs to fully close up the pores, I've squeezed many nest of blackheads from women who swear by rose water as their toner twice a day, my advice upgrade to a real toner to fully close the pores, Witch Hazel is another astringent, used long ago for some as a toner, today we recommend no body use witch hazel directly on there skin as it can burn and damage it deep down, avoid witch hazel at all costs as it is to sever and harmful for the skin.

Choose a toner that is not from a cosmetic range as these have perfume in them and can sensitize the skin, toners are by there very nature astringent so finding the right one for you and your skin needs can be tricky but invaluable for when you do find the right one.

Stop using any toner if it stings, burns, itches or makes the skin go red you are allergic to an ingredient in that toner and need to try new one, test toner on your wrist first always.

Many skincare company's today suggest you spritz your toner onto your face i don't agree with this method of toning, firstly it makes you fly through your toner and replace it every month which ends up being very costly in the long run, and secondly it's practically impossible to close the billions of pores up on your face and neck by spraying them at a distance, the products gets wasted in over spraying hair and clothes and is just not very effective.

The best way to tone properly is get two dry cotton discs spray 4-6 sprays of toner onto each disc this will make the dry cotton wet with toner, then do one at a time all over the face and neck using the front and back of each disc, when you done the first then do the second.

Why it's so important to double tone is because we have billions of pores on our face and neck and it's near to impossible to get them all with one go and one disc, so by doing it twice whatever you missed on the first tone you get on the second.

Golden rule to toning is when you toning and if you notice some makeup, or bronzer on your cotton disc toning then you have a problem, you haven't cleansed correctly and there is still residue makeup on the skin, you need to go back and re cleanse again and it very important that when we are toning we see no traces of makeup on our cotton discs as then we know we have cleansed correctly and our makeup is off, i meet women all the time that tell me they see makeup on there cotton dics when toning and when i explain to them that they shouldn't there faces drop, but this is how skin get congested, gets blackheads and spots from incorrect cleansing and toning.

I honestly wish women would invest more time and effort into the basics such as cleansing and toning, talk to most women under 35 and they be raving about some makeup and it's coverage and how it the best to hide there spots and open pores, and I'm thinking if you spent more time cleansing and toning properly twice a day you wouldn't need such heavy restrictive makeup and you wouldn't be getting the spots and open pores, but they never think of that of course!
Toning on it's own in the morning without cleansing before hand is not enough, cleansing and toning are like shampoo and conditioner, ya you can use them separately but they are designed to work together for best results. Toning alone will never remover all the dirt and bacteria and blocked pores our skin has on it in the morning ever, so the short cut many take in the morning by just cleansing and not toning is only giving themselves more of a skin problem than they think.

Toner's are like any other beauty product you get what you pay, and cheapest isn't always best, for anyone who has sensitive skin or simply who just has never used a toner ever or for years needs to start with a soothing sensitive skin one, i recommend Dermalogica's Soothing Protective Spray E33 this will calm any skin sensitivity and redness from the skin and close pores up fully.

Normal skin types can try Dernmalogica's multi- Active Toner E33 this has alot vitamins in it and gives great radiance to the skin as well as closing up the pores, it also last 3months using it twice a day, seven days a week.

Dry skin, and anyone over 40 would love Dermalogica's Age Smart Hydramist E48, this toner will hydrate your skin as well as closing up the pores, many people of this skin type and age find toner's can often dry there skin out and they stop using it then, this product will prevent this, yes it's bit dearer but it has a double benefit to stop skin drying out.
Be careful were you store your toner placing it on the bathroom windowsill as many do means the daylight and rays from the sun instantly weaking the product and makes it less effective, keep it out sunlight and be careful when traveling we all

Know what it like to find toner leaked all over our luggage, close toner tightly after each use. 12 is the age now to teach young girls how to cleanse and tone start them off with one a day and after awhile move them on to a.m and p.m these are excellent skin health habits to be teaching them young, and i honestly believe if only more parents thought there kids at 12 how to cleanse and tone which is just how to wash their faces correctly we would have far less acne and problematic skin around, it takes them two minutes and are habits that will stand to them all there life, there are young girls out there that can do makeup better than most beauticians and makeup artist but they don't know how to remove it properly each night and end up with noticeable problematic skin, it's a vicious circle because they keep searching for heavier better coverage makeup to hide the spots and blackheads and the skin gets worse and worse over time because no one has ever shown them how to remove the makeup correctly and with what every night, an that i find very sad. get teens into it young, don't wait for them to get a few spots or blackheads as this is not good, i recommend Dermalogica's Teen clean to any of my teens in the clinic, the wash is like E16 and the Toner E18 lasts them 3months and helps them care for there skin correctly.

At the end of the day basis skincare is cleansing and toning and moisturising everyday, twice a day, but anyone with any more than 3 spots and it's time for a deep cleanse facial, aim to do a deep cleanse facial every 6-8 weeks these deep cleanse down to the deeper layers of skin that will soon be your new skin and facials will work a million times deeper and better than any cleanser's, toners, exfoiators or other home care product's you can buy.

Emer O'Callaghan Won Irish Beauty Therapist Of the Year And Is The Owner Of Emerald Beauty Clinic Douglas ( 021 4368996) see our web wwww.emeraldbeautyclinic.com

SPECIAL OFFER

Emerald Beauty Clinic, Book an Intense Hydrating Facial Treatment all next week and get it HALF PRICE For just E40 saving you E40, appointments necessary.( 021 4368996).

EMER'S BEAUTY SECRETS

Eyebrows can be painful to pluck certain times of the month when our bodies and skin are sensitive, i apply some bongela or gumees to my brows 10-15mins before tweezing, and this acts to numb the skin enough that tweezing is far less painful, just make sure you always remove the product from the eyebrows and skin afterwards,

Milk Thistle is great to take this time of year after a hectic Xmas is helps to detox the liver and kidneys, it E7.99 in most health shops i find it very good.

Over exfoliating the bikini line area can only draw out more ingrowns than you expect, i only exfoliate my body once a week and i have far less ingrown since, shower as normal daily but less scrubbing will means less painful ingrowns, i swear by Ingrow Go oil E48 on any ingrown hairs i get.

Spot treatments and gels are everywhere these days, i find alot them just added extras for us to be buying, whenever i get a spot after Ive exfoliated and squeezed it out fully, i tone to close it and i apply Dermalogica's Skin Refining Mask E48 to that spot for a few nights, every night and sleep with it on until my spots cleared up.

And with valentines day next week you can already sense love is in the air, most beautician are getting bookings already for the usual, specialised waxing, tanning, body scrubs, facials and the good old manicure for those wishing for a ring, many do get let down with a bang on that one, when a box of milk tray gets produced, over the years in my job as a beautician women of all ages have shared there love stories and every women loves them, the one that i loved myself the most was one a lady told me years ago, every morning she walk up the mall to work, then one day this guy stopped her and said look i know this off the wall now but I've been passing you every morning for the last four years and i just really want to ask ya out for a drink, coffee,dinner whatever, she was so taken back she smiled said she didn't know and legged it quick, she knew she see him again next day, he smile everyday then and ask her passing any answer for me yet, he did this for four weeks in a nice way, he wasn't stalking her now, then one day he stopped her again handed her his number said i take it if i don't here from you by the weekend to start taking the Oliver plunket st route, after much thought and two bunches of flowers sent into her in work she gave him a text, they dated and are now very happily married with two beautiful kids, and they say romance is dead? that story has always been my favourite, i love his persistent and just how he didn't want give up on what he wanted.

I know lots people men in particular like to slag off valentines day calling it a hallmark day and a money racket but i don't buy into any them killjoys its a bit fun and gives a nice vibe to work environments and homes.

I know theres the cringe factor to, we all know the embarrassment of flowers getting sent i remember getting flower in school in 6th year but what was worse was i had the principle walk down to the class with everyone there with this huge bunch roses and stupid love heart balloons, and announce in front everyone" Ms O Callaghan the delivery man was in an awful state these didn't arrive till 4 30PM yesterday for you he didn't know school finished at 4pm hope you weren't disappointed there a day late", mortified more like, and if that wasn't worse i then had to walk in home to the four lads with them and get interrogated and slagged to bits all at once, in a way that only big brother's know how to do. Money tight for many and staying in is the new going out and majority of women want to do more on Valentine's day then just wear red and red lipstick, you don't have to spend a fortune theres always an alternative to beauty on a budget. Theres loads married and settles women who claim there husband doesn't mind her hairy legs or lack of effort they come out with ridiculous lines like" ah when your married as long me now you know what i mean", well i don't except that, i don't care if I'm married 50 years and on a simmer frame i still wont let my legs get hairy, my skin spotty or my grooming go out the window just because my husbands used to me, come on girls you gotta make the effort if not for him, for yourself and your own feel good factor.

TREAT THE FEET

There's nothing sexy about an inch of dead rough skin on the heels, the heels make be nice but prep the feet, many are already booking in for pedicures spring is always the start of it, but even if you haven't time for a good pedicure, put a foot scrub on your feet and soak your feet well, get a pumice stone and scrub hard all the heels, and toes to get the rough skin off, massage in some foot cream or body cream if your stuck, and paint the toes this wont take long, is very relaxing, and painted toe nails brighten up the feet and always look well, make sure to keep the polish the same color as the hands, it's never good to class, if your wearing black, red polish is great but on days like valentines day so many women wear red dresses then lash on red lippy paint the nails red, all there short is dying the hair red, this is over kill and best avoided, go for french or any of the darker polishes if wearing red for the hot date.

TANNING

There very few women will go without tan for a night out, my advice if you know your going out for the sake of how cheap professional tanning is gone now go get it done correctly full body sprays are E25-35 these days, have your hair removal done before, bring old, dark lose clothing and get sprayed or rub on tan done 24-48hours before valentines if your new to tanning get it done 48hours before valentines as that way if you don't like it or need a top up there an extra day to scrub or add more. D.I.Y jobbing it at home will always be popular many do a fine job others make some hames of it, streaky legs and bad application are often due to the fact that many women still apply body cream before the do there tan this is nuts and the main cause of patchy mucky tan, the tan cant blend or get trough the thick layer of body cream, so shower and tan. skip the moisturising until after the shower the next day, tan wipes are a disaster for anyone who doesn't wear gloves applying it. orange palms are never a good look.

A tinted body cream works well to for very pale skins but apply it for 2-3 days before the night out, many women just rub it on that morning and that's when you hear the men complain about the smell off it as they are smelling it off you all night, my advice apply it after the shower for 3 nights in a row shower before heading out don't reapply, this is for the tinted or wash off body, now not full tan or you be chocolate yourself, try and avoid false tan to the face not only does is clog the pores it also can look to dark and with makeup over it can just look off color.

LASHES

Tinting, perming,extension people cant seem to get enough of lashes this year, and with women putting so much into there lashes and eyes i always find it funny when many men cant even remember the color of there girlfriend eyes, maybe he cant see them with all the false lashes?, get false ones applied professionally, the stick on ones are a distaster i know loads women think there great at applying them but I'm sick of seeing eyelashes up Crockett on eyelids or half hanging on out at weekends, scratch that idea and layer on the mascara is my advice this way your eyelashes wont be going walk about themselves on the night, a good eyelash tint will dye all the lashes, blue black being the most popular this is a star treatment for women of all ages and hair colors as it opens up the whole eye area and lasts weeks E10-E18.

MAKEUP

Less is more, we seem to be living in a time wear the heavier the application the better the look, i disagree with the layers of makeup some women must seriously have a hawk and trowel at home for the amount they lash on daily, the key to good makeup is to enhance your own beauty and be subtle, not be noticeable from a mile down the road, choose one not both, focus on eyes tone down lips and vice versa. Majority of women say there great at applying there makeup themselves and these are the ones that could do with booking in and getting a professional application done they soon see that the noticeable pencil through the brows, loads black eyeliner, wrong shade blusher, uneven application not blended correctly and the lack of correct lip and eye color choice isn't always working, a change is as good as a rest, and it good to treat yourself, book a professional makeup application in a beautician's or makeup counter and get your makeup done for the night out, the majority women i speak to will often say" oh my husband or boyfriend sent me over for tonight he just loves when you do my makeup", still think your great at your own makeup?

FACIALS

If you can get a good facial done then do no two women skin or preferences are the same, some will want a good deep cleanse so there makeup will sit evenly and clear up the dull grey complexion, others will want a radiance facial full or vitamins and collagen boosters, others good firming one to help improve the noticeable lines and wrinkles, but it you don't get time to make an appointment, always exfoliate and mask at home yourself the night before the big night, it help remove the surface dead dull skin, and the mask will hydrate. Use nothing new on your skin face o body before a big night a breakout or allergic skin reaction are more common than you think and are very unattractive.

NAILS

A full manicure E25-75 will work wonders to those over worked hands, this will sort out dead thick noticeable cuticles and file, buff, shape and enhance the appearance of even the worst of nails, if that's not an option book a professional file and polish E10-E18, the polish applied evenly, correctly and professionally will look a million times better than an uneven flooded cuticle d.i.y job that looks like you painted them with a roller, if your not good with your nails and you didn't get an appointment then just paint on some clear it get you out of looking unmanicured and the shine makes nails look healthy and well kept.

HAIR REMOVAL

Essential on nights like valentines night no women should be in bed wondering who leg is who's with the amount hair she has that resembles her husband leg, and i know many women will say that they haven't the time or energy it takes two Min's to shave or cream in the shower and on special occasions like valentines night there no need for excuses on why your hairy. Specialised waxing is popular many women are good fun they get love hearts stencil's or diamonds applied during there waxing, Brazilian and Hollywood waxes are very popular on valentines just don't do what so many do and ring on valentines day expecting to be waxed, not only will appointments be booked but you be very red after best to do your waxing a day or two before hand so skin has time to heal. Don't forget the old underarms and those who always get half leg should try a full leg for a change it's great to be completely hair free, lazer is popular choice but needs to be done weeks in advance to have results for an occasion. Married or not, harsh in all as this sounds i honestly believe there is no excuse for women to be sporting hair in today's world it's very unfeminine and unnecessary.

HAIR DO

There nothing like getting your hair done, we all feel great when our hairs done, i always get my hair done but i like many always have my hair down alot, but on special occasion just for a change i will get an upstyle done, and it s these small changes that help make us look different and change our look. If you don't have time to book a hair appointment play around with it yourself at home, heated rollers, straighteners and thongs are great help my advice is try things out, if your trying to work wonders under pressure you end up like a cock ato, even if your just staying in do something with the hair.

MEN

Were to start, men in general are gone very slack this weather. aftershave is rare, and stubble is a no no on big nights, while we all know the men don't have to do near the same amount as women do there alot to be said for a guy that looks and smell nice, easy on the moisturiser if you don't want a noticeable shinny face, but do take the time boys it's always worth it, happy valentines day.

Emer O' Callaghan Won Irish Beauty Therapist Of The Year And Is The Owner Of Emerald Beauty Clinic Douglas (021 4368996) see web www.emeraldbeautyclinic.com

SPECIAL OFFER

Book a Firming collagen boosting facial E50 at Emerald Beauty Clinic all Next week and (save E35), Appointments necessary  (021 4368996).

It's silly really how sentimental we all can get about such simple stuff but that night no one would ever believe a girl my age would treasure an old lady's cardigans like they were diamonds, everyday in my job as beauty therapist i meet women of all ages who are sentimental also to there beauty buys and treatments, i don't know is it human nature, routine or just pure simplicity makes us sentimental about what we treasure but we all do it. id a women last week tell me she has a powder puff setting powder 40 year's and still occasionally uses it, 40 years is along time, other's have eyeshadow pallets since there teens that there still using in there thirties, masks that were given to them in a set for there 21st birthday and used twice year, well past it sell by date to i might add, one client of mine told me she only posses one lipstick, it's put on for Sunday mass, wedding, and funerals she keeps it safely away and has it years, one thing i come across alot of in my job analysing ladies skin everyday is that there alot women very sentimental about there skincare product's and makeup, I've met many over the years who said they use a certain range because they first started it in there early twenties when they got there first job and they never changed off it, were talking 15-20 years on the exact same cleanser, toner, moisturiser regardless of what changes there skin went through with holidays.

Pregnancies, menopause, majority of women are using combination skin products for years now never realising that the oil level decreases in one's skin after the age of 30, the skin goes drier, and starts losing collagen, combination skin products won't do anything for oil that is no longer there or the dryness and loss of collagen, so is there any point to be sentimental and treasuring these buys?

And it's not just the skincare makeup is the same, i know women who been using makeup designed for the over 40's since they were 16 years of age, coverage and the popularity of the name was the big attraction yet little did they know the makeup was really for their mum's age group, and a lighter textured makeup for there age group would have served them much better, i always knew women were sentimental about there beauty buys but this Xmas really highlighted it even just chatting to people i know who would say "god if i bought my sister or mum now any makeup other than Elizabeth Arden toasty beigh compact she wouldn't use it, she die if that stuff ever gets discontinued". There's a very good saying and one my nan would always say to us at home that used make us all laugh "now you may love it, but does it love you"?, if you been years on anything in skincare or makeup than maybe it's time for a shake up.

BREAK THE SENTIMENTAL BOND

When it comes to skin you might love your skincare range but are you really getting results? what i mean by that is, are you seeing skin improvements from using these products is your dry skin gone?, for many skincare products are a means to an end just for washing their face, removing makeup, then days are well gone, you can now get cleanser's and toner's to even hydrate as well as cleans skin clearly your product's aren't working for you if your one of the very many women i meet who skin shows signs of blocked pores, blackheads, sensitivity, pigmentation damage and premature aging and dryness, none of these skin problems would show on a skin that was getting the correct care from the correct products, we use all Dermalogica skincare products in our clinic and like everything in life while they may not be for everyone skin id highly recommend getting your skin fully analysis your skin needs can be addressed and you get to learn if your products you are using are suitable for your skin and most importantly how best to get your skin glowing this year.

As we all get older we need to change our look and skin and makeup are no different, investing in richer creams to hydrated your skin will prevent premature aging and small changes in makeup to will help with dulling complexion as we age, the use of some tinted moisturiser instead of heavy makeup for just out and about would make a huge benefit for all skin, Dermalogica do a great one Medium Tint Moisturise E48, changing black eyeliner pencil to brown will instantly give a far more softer look to the eyes, switching from colored eyeshadow to creams and soft shades and less bright lippy and more soft peaches and pinks will do wonder's to ones look as we age, giving a far less severe look or to over done with makeup which is never good at any age. False tan can be replaced with a tinted body moisturiser Dove, Johnson and St, Tropez all do these and these are great for older women who look funny when over tanned often just drawing more attention to there deep lines and wrinkles which is never good.

Makeup is the same anyone who only every used one makeup brand would do well now to go in to a different counter for a change and ask to get there makeup done, this way the makeup artist can test what shade of that foundation suits you and give you recommendations and advice, my advice have an open mind here, don't be going with what suits your sister or friend, for example i don't like blusher on me but that's not saying in ten or twenty years time i won't love it as i get older and it be a daily part of my makeup application, listen to the professional advice you are given, you don't have to change all your make up just break from what you always used, shake things up abit it's fun to do to, i met ladies over Xmas who told me they never once bought a red lipstick they always wore pale soft pinks and peaches but then they got there makeup done for a wedding and we put red on them and suddenly they love the red and now it's all they wear, it brightened up the pale, grey complexion and gave light to the face and a glow to skin, and who doesn't want that, makeup is very much personal choice and what's great on one lady may not be on another so suit yourself, you are an individual person with your own look just buy into that concept more and you'll have fun and look great with it to.

If you don't wear makeup and you know who wouldn't master it to well and fear you end up like a clown my advice is book in for a makeup lesson, your never to old to learn, these we do in our clinic and other salons do also, many people confuse a makeup application with a makeup lesson, a lesson is a 1-2 hour private tuition class on what foundation, eyeshadow, lipsticks, blushers and tan will suit you and your age, complexion, hair and eye color and pocket, it's an investment to get a good lesson as what you are thought stands to you for life.

De-clutter every women need to do a spring clean, dump any makeup, powder's, eyeshadow, lipsticks, masks, creams, skincare products face or body, perfumes, brushes you have for years think about it this way if you haven't used any them in a year your hardly going to use them this year, not only will they cause a skin breakout, eye infection, colsore, rash, and sensitivity to skin from the amount of bacteria breading on and in them sitting idle so long, gathering dust, they are also taking up valuable space in your vanity desk or table, find a bin and chuck em, trust me you won't even miss them. Don't pawn them off on your younger sister, cousin or friend either just because you are to sentimental to introduce them to ther bin as many women do, your only passing on gone off products, the bin is the only place for them so bin them and drive on.

It's no different with treatments some women go to there beautician for waxing and tanning maybe but they never tried manicure, facial or body polish, deluxe pedicure for many it's just that they may have never thought about these other treatments because in their head's they just relate the beautician's to what they get done only, they see there waxing and tanning as essential maintenance but they be shocked if they ever tried a nice back massage or facial to see the difference they make, next time your at the beautician's ask what offer they have on that month or better again ask for there brochure to take home you be surprised at how your beautician may also do that you have never tried.

At the end of the day we all are sentimental about things but we need to be open to change, change is a part of life and beauty, and it's good, we all just need to find the strenght in us to embrace it and feel and see the benefit's, one things for sure of all us sentimental gals nothing ever stays the same, in beauty or life.

Emer O' Callaghan Won Irish Beauty Therapist Of The Year And is The Owner Of Emerald Beauty Clinic (021 4368996) see web www.emeraldbeautyclinic.com

SPECIAL OFFER

FREE skin Analysis all next week with our skin specialist, appointments necessary (021 4368996).

EMER'S SECRETS

Even i hate when my favourite color nail Polish is running low or going clumpy, i always add 3-4 drops of nail varnish remover into the polish and shake it mad and this works great to dilute out the thickness of the Polish and makes it spread better on application and best of all last longer.

Avoid spots forming in your brows by sterilising your tweezers in some Milton and boiling water before using it i always do this because bacteria breads on things like tweezers when left down with makeup and brushes.

Instant Tan is great, i use it in work alot on clients who want an instant tan leaving, i find it get great results if i shake the instant tan well for about 3 minutes before use, while i feel like my arm will fall off it works fantastic to shake all the ingredients in the tan up well, this gets the best out of the tan application, yet it's something very few women know to do.

Anyone with very dry parched skin this weather would benefit greatly from doing a mask for 7 full night i do this when ever i get a dry patch and it works wonder's to sort the dryness out fast, i use Dermalogica's Skin Hydrating Mask E42. Now is the time to address any dryness on the skin or risk caring it through all spring/summer which is never good for the complexion.

TOP TIPS

Colorful bright dresses have been the fashion for past three years now, if your wearing bright color's it is very important your tan is not drastic, anything with an orange tint tan will be very loud with the dress it's the same for anyone wearing white our cream the wrong shade of tan will simply over shadow the dress and stand out more, i advice getting st. tropez applied professionally two days before the night this is a very golden tan and one of the very few now with no orange pigments and will not take from the dress.

Nude color shoes are all in with the muti-colored dresses and french manicure is by far the best option to wear with nude shoes as they blend in best, always match hands and toes the same.

Backless and reveling side dresses are high fashion but most teens tend to get spots on there back, if you have alot get a professional back facial E50 -85 done were the spots will be cleaned out and cleared up this should be done at least a week before the big night,. or alternatively you could scrub your back every night with a buffing cloth try Dermalogicas Ultimate Buffing cloth E18 this will reach all the back as it's long and powerful and can be used daily and after the spots have been squeezed apply some face mask to each spot every night and sleep with on to heal them quick, don't panic if you still have a spot or two for that backless dress some concealer and dab of makeup over it should make it blend in with your tan on the night.

Don't wear instant or wash off tan on your debs night your asking for a disaster Ive never seen instant tan that doesn't come off all over the inside and underarms of a dress ands it is noticeable, also i dunno any girl who bring a rain coat out with her on her beds night and the slightest bit of rain or a split drink and your tan is gone and it's just messy, do your tan a day or two before the night and it last and have developed and dried in well.

Stick on nails if you aren't used to wearing them and apply them yourselves at home most likely will come off on the night and as soon as one goes you find the rest follow, either get you own nails manicure E25-45 or try shellac E35 or gel nails E55 that wont come off and are hard wearing.

Makeup is big business now but i can always tell even in a picture the girl you had a facial before her makeup and the ones that don't, it's very important to get a facial a week before your debs even a standard deep cleanse to remove the dead dry skin, unblock the pores and squeeze the spots, many of the lads could do with one to, i find it very sad to hear girls come in for a professional makeup just to cover up the spots, they wouldn't get into the dress with out having a shower but they expect the makeup to hide the dirt and oil and spots, makeup also has to be applied more heavily to a bad skin which can often end up making the girl look different ,older or to over done, my advice get the facial it's money well spent and often i find the first time many of this age group have got a facial. Anyone opting to d.i.y there own makeup for the night needs to trial run it first and be practicing it they also need to bring the makeup with them as it will start to fade off were as a professional makeup just like what we apply to a bride will last till the early hour with no need for a touch up, just lipstick.

Tan on the face i don't advice as it will block pores but a rare occasion like this i would put it on the face as there will be no break in color then in the pictures between the tanned body and white face.

Never do hair removal be it shaving, creams or waxing on the day, this needs to be done the day before or the day before the tan so the skin isn't marked, dried or worse again have razor marks.

Anyone opting to only do a half body tan should rethink this, as Ive seen way to many tanned upper body and white legs on these night, remember every dress has a slit either up the thigh or at the back and the white legs will be seen, there not much in the difference today now between a full and half body tan.

False lashes many debs girls want now and i cannot stress enough the importance of not d.i.y jobbing these they look brutal when put on badly and uneven, if you heart it set on having them make sure you get them put on correctly, there's many a girl who say they are great at putting on there own lashes and there always uneven and wonky, for the sake of a few extra euro like anything in the beauty world the professional job is always a fair better job and finish, especially on big occasions such as debs night.

GUYS

Majority of men are sensitive skinned from shaving and the sharper and more advance the blade the slower the skin healing, no lad wants to have a big red head up on him on night his grads and with men's hair growth differing so much it hard for lads to find the right time to shave and still have no noticeable regrowth for the night, anyone who can shave the night before should using a cooling or sensitive skinned shaving gel Dermalogica soothing shave cream E25, lash on plenty of moisturiser after it even if it's your mums, as the skin will be dry after shaving, many will have to shave the morning of the grads so try and do it early so the skin has a few hours to heal, only those who don't have skin reactions after shaving can afford to shave just before going out.

Hair gel is big business now with the lads but don't forget some aftershave that i hope will start making an old come back soon for men of all ages!.

Emer O' Callaghan Won Irish Beauty Therapist Of The Year And Is The Owner Of Emerald Beauty Clinic Douglas ( 0214368996)

This year in our clinic we started a Free tan testing were anyone who was booked in for a tan got a free tan test done first to see exactly which out of our 12 tans suited there skin and complexion, and hair color best, thankfully it has been a huge success and so many women were thrilled to actually be shown on there skin how some tans are just not suitable, be it to dark, to orange, to light and i believe In my professional opinion and as someone who is sick to death of seeing so many women walking around cork with the wrong shade of tan on this tan testing is a fantastic idea and it's free, as what we are trying to achieve is showing each individual what tan is for them so they no longer need to be chopping and changing every month trying every tan on the market, we stock the main top twelve tans on the market today and i can honestly say there is no two women one tan will suit, yet unfortunately due to good marketing so many women will all try out every new tan out and never know the benefits of being tan tested for there correct one. The perfect false tan that isnt so noticeable;e false looking is i believe without a dought one of the most sought after beauty enhancement for all women is the quest for the perfect tan, be it false or real us gals like a tan, for the past year false tan took a hit and wasn't as popular as previous three years but with the launch of newer safer false tans such as tan organic false tan is very much back in vogue, and not just because it's summer tan will be just as popular again this Xmas as any other. Tannerexica is something unheard of to many women but certainly not in the beauty profession, sadly new studies are showing an increase

TOPS TIPS FOR THE BIG NIGHT OUT

TAN very few girls this age don't do tan now before a night out there a good few options here for all those who are not into tan they can use a tinted body lotion either the night before or the morning St .Tropez do great new one out E19 in fair and medium then there dove and Johnson's to but be aware of the smells from all tinted moisturiser there a good option for those who just want to get that ghostly pale skin covered, then theres the instant tans these wash off but i must say as popular in all as these tans are with this age group i honestly don't recommended them, the problem with a wash off tan you may find convenient that you just lash it on quickly before you go out that night if it rains or a drink gets spilt then it's bye bye tan and Ive seen many a young girl walking around on a saturday night looking like a giraffe because it's raining and her tans washing off that's a disaster, my advice is do a nice tan two nights before the night out that way if it's to dark you two days to be washing it to take the darkness off and if it's to light you have another night to add another coat. Never do your hair removal and tans on the same day, do your hair removal one day the tan the next, don't have body cream on your body before your tan as this causes streaks, wear gloves to avoid dark palms, don't put tan on your face if your got very oily skin and spots, those that do it's just a very light coat over the face and go over the eyebrows with a cotton tip to avoid tan lodging on the brows as that is very noticeable, always shower off your tan the next morning other wise you end up looking dirty, no body creams as this lift the tan off. Also anyone hoping to wear there hair up needs to avoid a noticeable white neck from the back and needs to put tan on the back of there neck also.

MAKE UP most girls this age are unreal at doing there own makeup, probably because they been wearing it daily in school since secondary, while the majority are into dramatic eyes theres always the few that dread applying makeup these girls i advice getting it done professionally you get a makeup application for E20 -25 and what so great about getting it done professionally is that while the other girls makeup is fading and their running to the loo all night to top it up yours won't need touching it last all night and it's also a good excuse to get a trial makeup done for this night in loo of your debs night this is what alot my teen clients are doing this year. False lashes and lash extensions are big business this year my advice if you do apply them yourselves please trim them down no ones eyelashes are meant to touch there eyebrows and i meet so many teens with this ridiculously long lashes and they don't seem to know to trim them down, those nervous of the lashes could try aneyelash tint E10-18 to darken there open lashes. Most girls will wear an eyeshadow to match what there wearing just be sure that this color suit your eye color to though, your blue dress may be stunning but but any shade of blue eyeshadow on a girl with green eyes and it looks awful, smokey eyes are very popular just make sure to do your eyes before the foundation this is only the case when doing smokey eyes though as the resdue black eyeshadow drops down and runs the foundation if it's done first. Eye shadows like cream, baby soft pink, light brown, light lemon and purple are great colors to do if you have small eyes as the lighter color eyeshadow will make the eyes look bigger and more open, eyeliner can take from the nice color if applied to thickly black may be high fashion at the moment but does give a very dark look to the whole eye area, my advice is blonde's and auburn hair girls should use brown eyeliner and just dark haired us the black that goes for both liquid and pencil eyeliners. Avoid putting mascara on the lower lashes as this smudges and causes a panda eye never a good look, blusher should only go on the check bones and blend blend blend it's no meant to be very noticeable it's meant to just give a subtle hint of color to the cheek. Always set your makeup you do this after you have applied your foundation and blended it well into the jaw line, tide lines are a disaster here set the makeup by applying some translucent setting powder ask in any chemist it's invaluable makeup product less than E3 and this will stop your makeup going shinny and coming off, bronzer can be applied over this then to match your tan so you don't get a pale face and tanned body. As eyes are the poplar thing to highlight in this age group lips should be played down always apply a liplinner this helps lipstick to stay on a pale pink lip liner suits all lips put your lips stick over this and bring the lipstick with you to top up during the night, lipstick is not a blusher and rubbing it into your foundation to make red cheeks is not a good look and no matter how well you think it's blended or how subtle it ,lipstick is for the lips girls only.

NAILS Don't paint your nails in a color Polish if your not going to take the timer to do them right, do them early on the day of going out and not rush job then in the car as your been driven into town they won't be dry and will smudge, remove any chipped or old polish the day before and don't go over old polish start from scratch again, do a base coat let dry then two coats of the color let dry, then a top coat then sit and let them dry,  texting or moving the hands will make them smudge, use a hairs drier or put them in a dish off water to help speed them up but if you give them the time of at least 20mins to dry they will not only last longer they look so much better to. Always match the toes and hand nails, blue toes and yellow hands just don't go and is a very common noticeable beauty foe paw this weather. Watch the stick on nails these come off easily when d.i,y'ed, get them done professional and this way they stay on for a few days and not just the night.

SKIN Spots for and skin breakout when we are stressed an particularly this age group as there skin is producing so much oil, my advice id don't be scrubbing or picking you make the spots spread and get worse, don't also hide them with an inch of makeup either as this will just look worse, many of my leaving certs have been working on there skin over the summer and will have had a good deep cleanse done the week of the results but no one can control waking up the day of the results with a spot or to, my advice is do a light exfoliation after you have cleansed and only if the spots are ready to be squeezed get tissue and cover your fingers and squeeze the spots changing the tissue after each spot so as not to cross infect from one pore to another it's vitally important that you squeeze to a point of blood ya it;s disgusting and very sore but trust me one spot squeezed correctly will mean it heal up and go quicker and not reform or spread to another pore, once empty splash it with cold water, tone and apply a thick bit of mask to the spots this will heal up the spots quick before the big night out, id recommend leaving the mask on the spots for day to get rid of the dump from the spots quickly. Spots on the back can be treated in the same way. Dermalogica have a great new concealer  E48 out that is medicated  the only medicated concealor on the market today, that will help to dry out the infection in a spot during the day i find this a great product i use it my self and it can be used with or,without makeup.

THE GUYS

SHAVING most lads this age skin is very sensitive after shaving and there hair growth isn't that strong at this age,so they would do well to shave the night before the big night out this way the skin won't be so red and blotchy and has the day to recover dermalogicas Soothing shave cream E25 lasts months but is a great one for teens new to shaving as it's got soothing calming ingredients that avoid the red noticeable skin after shaving, spots, masks can be applied to any spots on the face, chest, back. shaving the chest, shoulders and back is not a good idea guys you may want smooth skin on your body but trust me it's short lived, hair will come back within 24hours and will be stubbly, rough and so itchy you wish you'd never went near it, my advice is leave well enough alone and leave the razor just for the face.

Many boys this age are paranoid about there bushy eyebrows and particularly eyebrow hair that meet in the middle i recommended just plucking a few and i stress a few of the hairs in the middle of the brows but not the lot of them or you end up getting a slagging from your mates for having shaped eyebrows, take just a few and it won't be so obvious.

Don't put aftershave on red sensitive skin of the face and neck spray it on your clothes and you won't get the skin on as most sensitive teens skin get.

At the end of the day the leavinmg cert night it a very special night to these teens it marks the end of secondary school and the start of adult life in the big world, it's a bit fun and dress up with there friends and should hopfully be a good night for them to enjoy after the hard years work of study.

Emer o' Callaghan Won Irish Beauty Therapist Of The Year And Is The Ownwer Of Emerald Beauty Clinc Douglas ( 021 4368996)

We all love hearing the top tens, be it top ten songs this year, top ten most good looking people, top ten all time greatest films, top tens are hard to make and i often get women ask me  "whats your number one beauty secret, or oh if you could only take 3 beauty items on holiday what would it be" and to be fair i can see the attraction with wanting to know what is most important but what we must remember is what one women couldn't possible live without another women simply could, i know many women who say mascara is there best beauty friend everyday regardless of weather they have makeup on or not, the mascara has to go on, alot of other women will claim lipstick as there must have, how they wouldn't even answer the door without lipstick on, that they feel naked or washed out without it, so while no two people will priorities the same things as there number one must have the following is a list of what I'm finding in my job as a beauty therapist the this years top ten beauty tips of 2011,

NUMBER ONE

MOISTURISER

Lately regardless of the ladies age both in summer and winter every woman is looking for a better moisturiser, no one likes the feeling of dry skin or tightness from using the incorrect moisturiser everyday, and when the seasons and weather changing so much I'm finding more and more women are cutting back on other areas and spending a bit more time and money on finding the most suitable moisturiser, and not just for day but night cream that once so many thought of as a luxury beauty item many women are finally seeing the benefits on there skin from using a rich night cream every night instead of just lashing on the old day cream twice a day. night creams are thicker in texture and are only more expensive because they contain far more hydrating and firming ingredients in them than a day cream, using a good day and night cream together is the best way of keeping the skin hydrated, preventing premature aging and fine lines and also makeup sits far better and more even, if your unsure of a good one to try or simply know you need a change these day moisturiser ones to try that we use in the clinic are Dermalogicas, dry skin intensive moister balance E55, oily skin, try active moist E42, sensitive skin, try sheer tint redness relive s.p.f 15 E48, Aging skin over 40's Dynamic Skin Recovery S.P.F 30 E79 and an all round fantastic night cream for all skin types Super Rich Repair E75. It's the season to be lashing on moisturiser girls. Happy New Year.

NUMBER 2

NAILS these have always been big business women just love to have nice nails regardless of weather there long or short well polished nails are a clear sign of a well groomed lady, i see a huge change in nails this year, up to 2-3 years ago in the boom acrylic, and gel false nails were high fashion every second lady wore them, i myself wore then for ten years and this year are proud to say I'm happier since growing my own nails, the work I've put into repairing and growing them now and how they look, this year it's definitely it's more manicures and working on there own nails or trying the 2 week shellac and gelez nail polish treatments that get painted on there own nail. Cost i believe was one of the main reasons for such a change and I find we do far more simple files and polishes on nails now these days than false nail applications, as while money may be tight ladies still like the look of nicely painted nails, and a professional polish always lasts longer, a file and polish E8-18, try O.P.I cuticle oil E15 to hydrate your cuticles daily if you want your nails to grow, and also O.P.I nail Envy E26 is a great nail treatment to apply daily to help nail grow healthy.

NUMBER 3

EYELASHES be it false lashes, getting your own tinted or permed or just looking for a thick lengthening mascara lashes are still high fashion this year, while if I'm honest I'm not a fan of false lashes. i just find them to sever and fake looking, and make girls eyes look black and small, but like anything in life it's all personal choice, they are still very popular with the under 25, they wear them weekly and many daily, often buying cheap clue and many are now seeing the effects on there own lashes falling out, if you love the false lashes and have to wear them just try limit them to weekends. the stick on false lashes that are all in now are not designed to be worn daily, and do trim them down so many girls will have false lashes up too there eyebrow and no ones lashes are meant to be that long. Not just in summer but tinting is always a popular in beauticians a good lash tint will dye the lashes darker and open up the whole eye are many will tint instead of mascara and other will tint and still wear mascara it's whatever suits. We do eyelash perming in the clinic and it's very popular this year this is basically the perming of you lashes to make them curl like what an eyelash curler does expect a perm lasts months it's E50 takes an hour and comes with a free lash tint. With the amount of new mascaras on the market every month i find still it's the flash lash and extra length ones still this years best sellers many promoting that the mascara will suit both day and night time looks. Just make sure you open your eyes to the price of mascara this year newer ones out are going in at E39.99 i personally believe that's to costly for a mascara.

NUMBER 4

LIPSTICK, the one men hate for how messy it can be and end up every wear, back this year with a bang while last year it was all about the eyes and nude or gloss toned down lips this year lipsticks came back, and Matt over glosses being the best sellers. and with so many celebrity sporting the big bold bright colors this was always going to filter down to us ordinary gals. While red is still high fashion all year round, the shocking pinks and bright oranges came out in summer, even those who aren't into wearing makeup and lipsticks on a daily basis were suddenly looking for a pale lipstick or a gloss with a color in it just to not feel left behind, I found this year clients i never thought were into lipstick bringing in there latest buy or looking to see to we stock similar colors. Long stay lipsticks were the very popular front runner for all ages this year, while they are on that bit brighter they do last just be aware that while you thinking its great your lipsticks last you 18-24hours and you wake up again with it on, or that it's kiss prove and himself loves it, I'm sorry to say long term this skin of the lips will dry out from this so do try take a day off from the long stay or keep for weekends.

NUMBER 5

FACIALS still as popular as ever and while many have cut back the serious skin people who work hard on there skin have budgeted in there regular facial still, many women will go on and on about the cost of being a women and maintaining there looks and how they just couldn't afford to do as much as they like and that's understandable if you genuinely are concerned about aging and looking well for your age you cut back on other areas to allow yourself to maintain the skincare. This year as popular in all as facials still are i meet so many women who i feel sorry for. they stopped there regular facials last year because money was tight and then come back this year because they're husband or kids are telling them there looking old. Everyone needs a few facials a year regardless of your age or skin type this will deep clean down to the deeper layers of skin, unclog pores and blackheads and spots, hydrate the new clear skin and give the skin a bright new complexion and with so many thinking that they once a week scrub and mask at home is a home facial is it any wonder people are looking older than they should, my advice is don't give up. maintain it as best as you can, we would all love a weekly facial, myself included, but we have to be realistic some ladies can do a facial every 2 weeks, other every month, some every 6-8 weeks other 4-5 timers a year no two people are the same but the alternative of doing no facials at all does show on the face so whatever you can do try to do to help your aging skin. Facial prices took a big nose dive this year but just be aware that a cheaper facial means less work and products on your skin and results that won't last a week, you get what you pay for.

NUMBER 6

WATER while it only at number six. for a very long time far to many people didn't even drink water, let alone have it popular enough to make a top ten, thankfully this has changes and i now even see this year majority of our clients will come in with a bottle of water and have now through alot of information and knowledge's have learnt the importance of drinking water everyday. I have clients that once just drank tea all day now downing there 2 litres of water a day, and i make no secret of the fact that for me water is my number one top beauty tip as a well hydrated person skin isn't as lined they have more energy, look younger and overall every single organ in your body will work better every day from getting it's 2 litres of water I'm not surprised to see so many women now drinking water and caring water around with them this year.

NUMBER 7

BOOSTER/SERUMS the beauty industry in 2011 invested far more marketing and advertising into promoting booster's and serums many women who many have never used a booster or serum in there lives was suddenly buying them and using them, November, December and January are the coldest harshest months for us Irish ladies so a booster or serum is essential to be using twice a day under your day and night cream to protect your skin from the harsh elements and the drying out in these months. dehydration lines look like fine lines to start off then slowly form wrinkles and it's the forming of these wrinkles and the fear of aging i believe has women stocking up this year and using correctly serums and booster's an it's a welcome change.

NUMBER 8

CONCEALER not one of my personal favourites, as i find them way to heavy for the delicate skin of the eye area but every second women i speak to these days is swearing by there concealer, used to dull out the dark lines under the eyes under the makeup and also to hide the redness of spots. this year concealer was being applied everywhere often at the damage to the skin, causing more lines around eyes and dry patches on the face, personally i avoid concealer at all costs those i find that can't live with out it are often the ones overly reliant on it and this is never good, this year alone sales of concealer rocket and no surprises that the very popular Douce de la clait was the most popular bought in 2011.

NUMBER 9

MULTIVITAMINS AND SUPPLEMENT this year was the year that many women realised that not everything that benefits your beautiful looks is sold in a cream, this year awareness rose and so did the sales of vitamins, minerals, beauty supplement's, omega, fish oils, skin, hair and nail supplements this was the year many women started a daily intake of some supplement, as we get older and through lack of correct nutrition in our diets, stress, hormonal changes ect women of all ages need to be taking a good multivitamin daily and boosting there own natural immune system starting from the inside that will be showing on the outside through clearer, healthier complexion and stronger, hair and nails.

NUMBER 10

EYES It's like many women woke up this year and suddenly started noticing there aging, dark, lined, tired eyes, women from 25 up were doing more eye treatments, eye facials and making sure they used a good eye cream twice a day, every day majority of women i met in our clinic were commenting on there eye area and asking for advice, for many years it was forehead lines and smile lines that bothered most but 2011 people finally were conscious of there eyes and how noticeable they were, and were anxious to make a start on improving them.

Emer O' Callaghan Won Irish Beauty Therapist Of The Year And Is The Owner Of Emerald Beauty Clinic Douglas ( 021) 4368996

TIPS FOR GOING BOLDER

Obviously with any shade of red lippy you are drawing attention to your mouth, therefore dry chapped and cracking lips are not suitable to be wearing red, wait until your lips have fully healed before going with a red or it just looks awful, lashing on Vaseline over the red lippy to stop the chapping and cracking will only draw more attention to your painfully sore lips.

Always wear a liplinner before applying your lipstick, choose a shade lighter in the color lipstick you are going with, in this case a pale light red and don't just do your lips outline, lipstick will stay on far longer when you do the whole lips in the pencil as the liplinner will hold the lipstick and it stay, never draw outside your own natural lip line, this is so noticeable and many do it trying to get more of a poutier, bigger lips and it just looks ridiculous. liplinner and lipstick are not tools to draw a new mouth for yourself, work with the one you have, it looks better.

Teeth, smokers and coffee drinkers need to be very careful with red lipstick, there's nothing worse than seeing someone yellow teeth, and red lipstick tends to draw out the yellow shade in discolored teeth, i always whitten my teeth before going near red lipstick, and remember to check you haven't any lippy on your teeth when you smile, never a good look,

For best results apply your lipstick with a proper lip brush, granted it takes more time, but it makes for a far more even application and avoids a Crockett outline.

Choose what type of texture lipstick you want for example, Matt, or shine, at the moment Matt is in fashion, shine and glossy was the go for the past 3years, but this year the deep Matt lipstick is all the rage and any age group can pull this off, yet the under 25's will still apply a gloss over there Matt because they grew up with glosses so they think it to go on every lipstick, never realiseing it can be often over kill and way to much.

Easy on the blusher when wearing a bright red statement lipstick, it's best to totally avoid blusher so as not to look to over done.

Tone down the eye makeup when focusing on the lips, when i wear red lipstick i wear the most natural nude cream eyeshadow and just bit eyeliner and mascara, avoid colored eyeshadow at all cost when wearing red lipstick, this can be hard for some but it will avoid you looking over done or worse again like a clown, by going natural with the eyes it allows for the lipstick and mouth area to stand out which is the whole purpose of wearing the red in the first place, and i know it Xmas but no glitter either ,not on the eyes or the cheek bones.

Prepare your lips well, very few people realises that lips are skin to so rubbing some of you day and night cream and face mask onto your lips will only help to nourish and benefit your lips and avoid them drying out and worse again cracking, many gels and glosses on the market that people use repetitively throughout the day are often the cause of the lips constantly being dry but they never seem to think it that that's causing it because it designed for lips, golden rule to beauty girls, not everything suits everyone.

If your very nervous of red you can try with a red light gloss first and see how you get on, your own judgement is needed here if you look in the mirror and think that doesn't look like me, your defo on the wrong shape, for example deep plum lipstick suits no one in my professional opinion, it's far to deep and dark and unless your a vampire or a model on a cat walk avoid this lipstick color at all costs.

Red lipstick can often set of what you wearing, wear red lippy when wearing a black dress and matching red nail varnish for a very classy Xmas look, red lipstick when wearing white is great to and also when wearing red, never wear a red lipstick if your wearing a pink dress or top it clashes big time.

WHAT SHADES FOR YOU

Be brave with red it's a color we all can embrace and pull off, be confident wearing red, regardless of your skin tone, hair colour, or age there is a shade of red for you, many women once they find there perfect red shade stick with it forever this is never good, as every year we age, our skin tone is paler in winter than summer, we change our hair color so much, my advice is every year go in search for what shade red suits the you of that year. The original and best way to tell what red is for you, we learnt this trick many years ago now in college, is if you stand in front of a mirror and pull down your bottom lip and look at the inside of your lip it be a mix of a pink and red but whatever shade of red that is is the one that will look best on your lips outside to, and trust me no ones inside lip is plum colored this is why is looks so drastic when worn.

If you're a BRUNETTE= The best shade of red for you is an orange shade of red is most suitable here, you need to be very clear when purchasing your red lipstick as to what shade of red you want, so say an orange shade, the sales assistant should be able to get you the red you want then, standing there and asking for any old red and your likely to choose the incorrect shade for you, and end up leaving that red in the bottom of your makeup draw for years. The nicest orange red lipstick Ive found on the market this year is Dolce and Gabbana lipstick E26 this will look great on all shades of brown hair ladies.

If you're PALE = Then you need to go for a rusty red, strangely enough red lipstick looks best on pale skinned and haired women and i find these are the ones most reluctant to try a red. The shade of red you are looking for is alot deeper than what a brunette would wear, I use Revlon's Super Lustrous Lipstick ( Abstract Orange ) E9.50 on anyone who pale that wants a red lipstick for there party makeup in our clinic and they all love it, and it does look fab.

If you're DARK= Go for a bluey/ purple red, this shade is the dodgy one this is why only dark skinned and haired ladies can really pull it off. Never go to dark here as this shade can often look like a deep plum or worse again black if lashed on to much, my advice is think cranberry or mulberry and that's the shade you want, i found for the dark skinned and haired client that i do makeup on, Max factor's Elixir Lipstick in Mulberry E9.50 is ideal.

If you're BLONDE= I can say this because I'm blonde myself but if your blonde box very very clever with your red or you end up looking like a clown, avoid at all costs any red lipstick of an orange tone, it clashses with all shades of blonde and looks awful. There an awful lot of  blondes sporting the wrong shade of red this season, thinking they can pull off any old shade of red, well you can't, the best look for us blondes is think back to 1940's a softer red hue color is best, it's near to impossible to find because i had to spend ages researching my red lipstick each year myself, and with so many on the market it can be a battle. I use three different red lipstick myself and it took me weeks to find my top two which are No.1 Mac Satin Lipstick ( Runaway Red) E17, No 2 Dior's Rouge ( Iconic Red) E26 i wear both these shades at the moment both day and night time.

Lipstick is all about adding abit of color and life to your complexion research out shows that even in times of war and times of recession sales of lipstick always sore, i think it's because us women can always afford a new lippy and it can change our makeup completely a whole new shade, never stay on the same shade if lipstick indefinitely, there none of us stay the same forever therefore, your lipstick shouldn't, pull off your red lipstick with confidence and remember to find someone to try it out on under the mistletoe this Christmas. Wishing all my readers a very happy Christmas.

Emer O' Callaghan Won Irish Beauty Therapist Of The Year And Is The Owner Of Emerald Beauty Clinic Douglas ( 021 4368996)