Beauty - House Of Coco Magazine

Beauty November 9, 2023

#GirlBossesofGreatBritain – The One with the Badass Neighbourhood Nail Bar

House of Coco had a chat with Abra and Erene of Pastille Bar in Leeds to learn about starting a business in a recession and looking after your employees so they look after you.

HOC: So ladies, tell us about Pastille, what’s it all about?

Abra: We opened in August 2013 and actually, we found the unit before we found the business! We were both passionate about opening a business, found the space and thought about what would work well there. We had a few talks about what would work in a recession and what people still spend money on, and figured that, for women, it was beauty.

Erene: We’re not Beauty Therapists ourselves but we been customers in salons before. We spotted a gap in the market to create a salon with a ‘neighbourhood’ feel in Granary Wharf in Leeds and the feedback is that the specialist service we provide and the space we have is great.

HOC: And how did you both come to working together?

Abra: I’d finished my degree in Law at Manchester Uni and I’d thought about studying business but instead we just did it! The original plan was to spend a year getting the business off the ground, but after working for myself I realised I couldn’t work for someone else. Self-employment is never an option at university, it’s just endless grad scheme applications, which I realised didn’t interest me.

Erene: When Pastille came along I was halfway through training to be a psychotherapist. I’m now qualified so I split my time between seeing clients and the salon. My fiancé is Abra’s brother so it’s a family business now!

HOC: How do you fund the business?

Abra: We self-funded the business, and managed everything really carefully so we started taking a profit at the twelve-month point. While it was a big jump, it never felt like it wouldn’t work. In the run up we were so focused! From having the idea to launching was a four-month period, and we only got the keys two weeks before we opened.

Some people are surprised at how relatively little it was to set up, which we achieved by negotiating our rent and kitting out the salon with low-cost but pretty fittings, and we chipped in with the DIY!

Erene: We employ a team, which can be scary as people’s salaries rely on your business. Abra was only 21 and I was 25 when we started, and it’s people’s livelihoods and careers we’re responsible for. It is an additional cost of course, but they’re the ones that make or break the business so we’re happy to provide them with a great salary and bonuses.

HOC: How do you market Pastille?

Abra: We’ve done a lot with the local area; flyering, discounts for locals – things that get people through the door. We do a lot of work with other local businesses through our Collaborative Partnership Working Scheme, which is completely free – it’s a skills exchange.

Erene: When we opened we were quite quiet so we thought of doing a Pop-Up Beauty Bar in local offices and offer free manicures so people would be introduced to us. This let us meet prospective clients and give them a taste of the Pastille experience rather than harass them through too much leaflet giving!

Once they had met us there was no real reason for them to go somewhere else when we were just around the corner. It costs very little to offer a free manicure if it brings you another customer – you have to spend a little money to make more money.

HOC: What about social media and online marketing?

Abra: We’ve spent time on our social media and most of our followers are on Instagram with people liking us from all over the world. Twitter is better for getting in touch with local businesses. We can have a conversation on Twitter and friends in local businesses who help us run competitions and spread the word!

Erene: We work a lot with beauty bloggers as well, ever since our launch party where we invited lots of local bloggers. We’ve found that the basic rule in getting people through the door is that you always have to reintroduce the idea of who you are and what you do, in lots of different ways. On top of social media we offer online booking, maintain our website, run events in the salon and support external events through our Pop-Up Beauty Bar service.

HOC: Do you have any tips for SEO?

Abra: We encourage as many people as possible to review us on their blogs and share our website. I think people fear giving out free treatments but the more links you have, the higher you rank in Google searches.

Giving things away can feel scary when you start out but it totally pays off. In the first 6 months we were already close to the top of Google for salons in Leeds, ahead of salons that had been around for 10 years! It really is amazing how much marketing you can do yourselves for little or no cost.

HOC: Why else do you think you have been successful?

Erene: I think it definitely helps that we are entrepreneurs and we’re physically present in the salon. Our customers say that they like seeing who the managers are, and that they’re involved. Women are savvy about where they spend their money and why – if we are the face, we need to be there.

While we are the managers, the expertise is in our team. We have a flat hierarchy when it comes to the day-to-day and we always credit our girls for making the business what it is. Three of our team have been with us since we opened in 2013, which is super rare in the beauty industry!

Abra: The difference in what we offer in comparison to other salons is that we’re not two Beauty Therapists with qualifications who wanted to open a salon just to generate an income. We’re both aware of what clients want when they visit a salon – if a customer isn’t happy we fall over ourselves to make things right! We try really hard to keep people coming back.

As Erene said, our team are so important and recruiting is tough, which we’ve heard from lots of business owners. Our team all get more than minimum wage and lots of bonus schemes, as they are trained professionals and they deserve to have this reflected in what they’re paid. We need to recognise the skills of women – beauty is a big industry for a reason, if it’s done right it makes such a difference!

HOC: How do people react when you tell them about your business?

Abra: People don’t understand what’s involved, most of the time. It’s just not a little nail salon – we manage every single aspect ourselves, in-house. At first glance some people find it difficult to think that two young women can work at the level we’ve been doing. I once remember a guy came in the salon and asked to talk the manager, he was so shocked when I told him I was the manager!

Erene: I think it just proves that your business can be in anything, you could be making the most random thing but if it’s doing well, it’s doing well. Because I’m a psychotherapist too I explain to people I have two jobs very often!

HOC: Do you find the business scene to be supportive?

Erene: We’ve got some great networks in Leeds, especially for women. You can meet some amazing people and we can all support each other. I guess the challenge is finding the network that suits you best. Women can fall in the same circles and there’s only so far that can take you! We believe in partnerships and reaching out to other entrepreneurs.

I head up two schemes for Pastille which encourages professional support – our Collaborative Partnership Working Scheme and a new one which aims to support BME, refugee and asylum-seeking women to start their own business in the city.

Abra: There’s always a link between your businesses. You may think that someone is doing something so different from running a nail salon but there’s always a way to collaborate.

HOC: So, what’s the plan for the future?

Abra: We want to add more staff to our team and increase our opening hours, and we’re always looking for little ways to increase business – we launched our online booking system a few weeks ago for example. There’s room to grow in the space we’re in, we wouldn’t want to move because the location is ideal. It’s our third birthday this year and we have some really exciting celebrations planned.

Erene: Our team have helped lead the development of the business and we consult with them about new treatments, as they’re the ones with the expertise and skills. For instance, we offer Russian Volume Lashes which you can’t find anywhere else in Leeds and we also have a freelance Make Up Artist.

I think that one of the worse things a business can do is try to grow too fast. We need a really solid relationship between us, the team and our clients and we wouldn’t want to ruin that. We both feel that we’d rather have one salon that was really great rather than have loads that were okay. I’d rather go to sleep knowing that we had kept our integrity! We’re complete perfectionists, we know everything that’s going on in our salon.

HOC: Finally, any tips for where budding Girl Bosses can go for more inspiration?

Erene: I think it’s tricky to pinpoint a source. We’re in the 4th wave of feminism and there are so many channels of information! I read a lot online from America which helps massively as feminism is now an international conversation. We’ve deal with a lot of women specific employment issues like maternity leave and child care, which I know Sheryl Sandberg talks about in her book ‘Lean In’, so we try hard to be women-inclusive as a company.

Abra: We spend time reading about how to engage our staff and keep them happy, and being in the salon a lot ourselves means we’re hugely invested in this. We do all we can to benefit our staff which in turn makes clients happy – it’s a whole experience. So it’s a case of learning from each other for sure.

At House of Coco we’re excited to see how Pastille celebrate their third birthday and what the future has in store. Be sure to invite us, Girl Bosses!

Beauty November 9, 2023

5 Beneficial Hair Care Tips For Healthy And Beautiful Tresses That Every Woman Should Know

Obtaining healthy hair that exudes vitality and healthy shine necessitates ongoing hair care, especially if you have colored hair or make use of styling tools to keep your hair looking salon beautiful. The type of hair you have is also an essential factor to consider. Curly hair, for instance, tends to need special attention and care, but having healthy curly hair is nothing but persistence, discipline, and having the correct information at hand. Most importantly, knowing what your hair needs is crucial. Regardless of the type, the road to beautiful shiny hair is not as so much of a daunting task as you may think.With these hair care tips, you can achieve just that.

Styling

Extreme blow-drying over time damages your hair since your hair gets exposed to heat all the time. Many women use their straighteners or curling irons on the highest heat setting to save time, but it can do significant damage to your hair and your scalp as well. Try not to use these tools every time you wash your hair to give your tresses some time-out. Also, don’t blow dry your hair shortly after shampooing. Instead, allow your hair to dry for about fifteen minutes and use your dryer on the lowest setting. Always dry the hair from a distance and work your way upwards while continuously moving your hair.

Shampooing And Conditioning

Applying Shampoo – When washing your hair, ensure that you apply your shampoo in moderation. Rule of thumb necessitates round about a 20p coin-sized amount and for long hair a 50p coin amount.
Shampooing Your Scalp – Steer clear from shampooing the ends of the hair and rather massage the shampoo onto the scalp. The shampoo will eventually run through the hair when you are rinsing. Massaging the scalp enhances blood circulation and in turn, promote healthy-looking hair.
Conditioning – Implementing a good conditioning regime is even more essential than applying shampoo, particularly for curly or colored hair. It’s always recommended to invest in quality hair care products from hairdressers Gold Coast to protect and feed your hair. Apply a high-quality conditioner to towel-dried hair before use. Having excess water locked in the hair will block the conditioner from infiltrating the hair shafts, preventing your hair from getting the necessary moisture it needs to look glossy and shiny. Avoid applying conditioner to the roots and instead apply it to the ends of the hair. Otherwise, you will end up with greasy hair.

Opting For Natural Products

Natural products are always the best solution for looking after your hair and giving it the nourishment, it needs. Look for high-quality products that contain essential oils and natural ingredients that are free from SLS and parabens.

Treating Damaged Hair

Despite doing everything that you can to protect your hair, some damage will inevitably occur over time. But with a bit of TLC, you can reclaim your hair’s healthy and smooth appeal. For dry and damaged hair due to color treatments, salon products may be necessary to revitalize your hair and repair it from the inside.

Living Healthy

Pursuing a healthy lifestyle is another excellent way of maintaining healthy hair. Make sure you follow a balanced eating plan which includes essential fatty acids, protein, minerals, and vitamins to keep hair hydrated and nourished. Make sure you are drinking adequate water each day and for shiny and bouncy hair introduce fresh vegetables and fruit as well as nuts and seeds into your diet.

Beauty November 9, 2023

Top 3 Useless Beauty Products You Shouldn’t Waste Your Money On

The global cosmetics industry is growing every year and its revenue is already over $445 billion (Forbes). Like everyone else, you are contributing to this growth, but should you give this industry as much as you do? It turns out that not all ‘essential’ beauty products are as essential as they claim to be. Know which of them don’t offer any value for your money.

3 Most Useless beauty Products to Drop Right Now

Toner

There is a reason why the Wikipedia page for toner (skin care) is about a dozen sentences long. That reason is that toner is an absolutely useless product and there isn’t much to say about it.

According to its definition, it’s supposed to help ‘cleanse the skin and shrink pores’. This means that it’s a cross between a cleanser and a good moisturiser. And as you should know, 2-in-1 products never work well. There is even less point of using toner when you already use a good cleanser and moisturiser. In a healthy skincare routine, the ‘toning’ step is superfluous. Therefore, a toner, while not outright harmful, is a waste of your money.

Specialised creams

One thing that definitely needs to be in your daily beauty routine is a face cream. There is no going without it as it’s the product that offers your skin tangible protection. There is a multitude of face creams you have to try. They are night and day creams, nourishing and anti-wrinkle creams, and many other types. All of these products work to help some kind of skin issue and to enhance the natural beauty of your face. And this includes your whole face.

There is no need to buy any specialised ‘eye’ or ‘T-zone’ or ‘chin-lifting’ creams. All of those titles are merely a trick to make the product more expensive. Your high-quality anti-aging cream will work just as well (if not better) for the area under your eyes as any special eye cream (Reader’s Digest). Do you want to know why that is so? It’s because your skin is the same under your eyes as it is two centimetres lower. It might be a bit thinner, but its chemical composition is exactly the same.

It’s true that in some cases, specialised creams might seem to produce good results. However, this usually means that your ‘main’ face cream isn’t up to par. Also, don’t forget that mixing many beauty products on your skin increases the risk of allergies. Therefore, you should stick to one type of face cream or at least use a day and night one as you need to moisturise twice daily.

Cellulite creams

Contrary to popular belief, cellulite isn’t a sign that you are fat. Thin people can have that ‘orange peel’ on their thighs and butt. In fact, even professional athletes have cellulite.

This happens because cellulite occurs when your skin structure breaks down and some fat cells ‘leak through’ the connective tissue. Hence the tiny pockets of fat right under your dermis, which create the ‘orange peel’ effect.

And the biggest problem is that this is a defect of the tissue structure. It has already happened and you can’t reverse it and ‘put the fat back where it belongs’. It’s a biological impossibility. The same is dissolving all that fat to make your skin smooth again.

Therefore, any creams that claim they will help you get rid of cellulite lie. The best you can expect is to improve the overall condition of your skin. With better circulation, the tissues will tone up and the ‘orange peel’ effect will become less noticeable. However, it won’t disappear. You don’t need a special cream to achieve that. A good body moisturiser with a thorough daily massage to improve circulation is the formula for your success.

Beauty November 9, 2023

Huda Beauty is Arriving at Harvey Nichols Leeds

Here at House of Coco, we love an excuse to go on a beauty haul and what better excuse than this. Harvey Nichols is thrilled to announce that Huda Beauty, best-selling cosmetics brand by Huda Kattan, will be arriving at staffed beauty counters at Harvey Nichols, Leeds from the 31st July, following the brands arrival on www.harveynichols.com from 31st May and regional roll-outs throughout June. As the cultural capital of West Yorkshire, Harvey Nichols is delighted to extend their beauty offering by adding the highly acclaimed Huda Beauty to their portfolio of colour cosmetics brands.

Renowned as one of the world’s fastest growing beauty brands with an extensive and inclusive collection of complexion, lips, eyes and body products, the complete Huda Beauty range exudes high-end glamour and incredible quality with extreme wearability, so even a makeup novice can find a lip colour or eyeshadow palette to suit them – there truly is something for everyone.

Huda Kattan, Founder of Huda Beauty “We are super excited to be launching Huda Beauty in Harvey Nichols! They have been incredibly supportive of our brand and our vision and we can’t thank them enough! The growth of our company has been insane and we’re so happy we have partners on board who are ready to grow with us and at such a fast pace. We’re ready to spread the Huda Beauty magic beyond London and into such important regions in the UK!”

Helena Sampson, President – International of Huda Beauty “The captivating magic of Huda Beauty continues with another perfect partnership; the UK are so thrilled to be launching Huda Beauty at Harvey Nichols both online and in key stores regionally. As we continue to deliver innovative thinking with a disruptive attitude, we are incredibly excited to bring our unique collections to a wider audience.”

Huda Beauty is now available online at www.harveynichols.com as of 31st May 2019,

followed by retail counters in:

Beauty Bazaar Liverpool – 12th June, Edinburgh – 18th June

Bristol – 27th June, Leeds – 31st July

Beauty November 9, 2023

When they’re gone, they’re gone – Lush goes Orange for Black Friday

This Black Friday, forget that new 510,000K TV you’ve been lusting over for no logical reason and that impulse-buy waffle maker you’ve seen the ad for on TV and get yourself to Lush to support their #SOSSumatra campaign which aims to raise awareness of how stupidly close we are to the Orangutan becoming extinct.

There are only 14,600 orangutans remaining in the wild in Sumatra and similarly, only 14,600 of this special limited edition patchouli and orange soap available online and in Lush shops from Black Friday, Friday 24th November.

Every penny of sales of the soap (minus VAT) will go to the conservation charity Sumatran Orangutan Society (SOS) to support the protection of Orangutans and the restoration of their native areas on the edge of the Leuser Ecosystem in Bukit Mas, Sumatra.

Go, do your part and turn this Black Friday into a shopping marathon for good!

The Orangutan soap will be available online and across all European shops uk.lush.com

The Sumatran Orangutan Society (SOS) is a conservation charity dedicated to protecting Sumatran orangutans and their habitat orangutans-sos.org

Beauty November 9, 2023

#BossBoys: Vladimir Trisic on exploring real beauty with Heinrich Barth

Inspired by one of the greatest explorers of the 19th century, Heinrich Barth is a brand that is all about the authenticity and adventure. What started as a small boutique in a Greek Taverna, became a fully fledged beauty brand, dedicated to recreating scent memories of your favourite destination.

Its founder, #Bossboy Vladimir Trisic, is all about authenticity as well. Looking away from fake luxuries, and instead highlighting cruelty-free, natural, and high quality Made-in-Italy products. Their new Destination Line is all about creating ‘liquid souvenirs’ of your favourite destinations, whether that is ‘Mykonos’ in the beginning of summer, or ‘Dakar’ which exemplifies the beautiful chaos of spring.

Tell us a little bit about yourself and what inspired you to start Heinrich Barth?

It all started as a spinoff of aprevious business which was a beach taverna on a Greek Island. Places like that always had their own boutique, but for our boutique we did not want (nor have the space) to do that or to sell brands so we decided to make our own. After spending all day on the beach, our clients would take a shower to wash away salt using our products. They liked it so much, they kept asking us about it – and so this is how it all started.

How has the explorer Heinrich Barth, inspired the ethos of your brand?

Heinrich Barth really inspired us a lot. He was curious, optimistic and eager to learn. He was also fluent in several languages ( I speak 5!). During his travels, he adapted and learned to live with less, and only with the necessities. Maybe something we should do in today’s world, which is overflowing with fake luxury and unnecessary stuff.

How important is the Made-in-Italy label to your brand? Could you tell us more about your Destination Line?

For me, the Made-in-Italy label is a symbol of quality. I am really not happy with some obnoxious brands that charge a surreal amount of money for a t-shirt that is made in a country where price of that t-shirt is worth a year’s salary. All of those brands with names of dead people( not of designers who are actually alive) could make their products at home and still be very profitable.

As for Destination Lines, we all have our favourite places where we like to go. Whether that is some place on the sea side, or a cabin hut in the mountain, it is a place that we know well and will always happy to be go back to. It could even be a place that we would like to visit but haven’t had the chance to yet. It could also be that we discover new place. We use a certain scents in order to recreate the memory of those kinds of places, sort of like aLiquid souvenir. Numbers represent months: so 07 Mykonos is July which is a very nice time to be on the island especially in the beginning when days are long, not to crowded, and not too hot. 04 Dakar is for April when everything becomes hectic as preparation for art Biennale is in full force, and plenty of people coming and going.

Destination lines represent places that we like to visit or where we used to live or go frequently. We’ve lived in Mykonos for 20 years, Dakar is where a friend of us ended up following some cultural project. Now she is there with two babies, a baby boy and baby girl. There w ill be more in the future, because these products will always be connected with our personal voyage. Basically there should be 12 of them, which is the same as thenumber of months in a year.

What has been the biggest challenge you have faced as an entrepreneur so far?

When you start something new everything is a challenge. Plus we moved to Berlin which is a completely new dimension: language, habits, mentality, but all that just add more quality on the end. You get more experienced, mature.

What advice do you have for other Boss boys just starting out?

You will make mistakes and mistakes equal money so be careful. Social media is not a religion nor is it the answer to everything. Choose carefully with whom you are collaborate with, because all of the sudden you will have a lot of people giving you advice ( and often not for free). Be prudent with all of these geniuses in marketing, advertising, and what not. Only you know what you want.

WWW.HEINRICH-BARTH.COM

Accessories November 9, 2023

Girl Bosses of Great Britain: Q&A with Tia Roqaa Beauty Box Queen

Our resident beauty worshipper Rachel McAlley recently interviewed beauty box subscription queen Tia Roqaa for House of Coco. Rachel delved deep into the world of the beauty box and into the future plans of Tia Roqaa’s business Roccabox.

Q1. What made you go into the subscription beauty box industry?
I liked the idea of giving women a little treat delivered to their door every month, a little surprise present for themselves – who doesn’t love presents or surprises? I had seen a few subscription based models pop up here and there and the whole concept really interested me, and with my background being in beauty PR I had some good beauty contacts so it just all made sense.

Q2. How long have you been running Roccabox?
We launched March 1st 2017, although I started working on it behind the scenes from November 2016. I did everything myself in the beginning alongside my full time job, I even taught myself how to build websites and all the social media!

Q3. Do you have a team of beauty experts that source all the products for each Roccabox?
Each month myself and my team scour instagram for new beauty launches and exciting brands that our audience would love. Sometimes we work with bloggers to curate their box of fave beauty finds, but if i’m honest, I prefer doing it myself!

Q4. Do you have a favourite Roccabox that has been produced and if so what were the products inside that the subscribers received?
I really loved working on our first limited edition box, it was such an exciting time thinking of how far we had come from our first box. When I look back now that first flyer was absolutely awful, although the products have always been great. Our limited edition boxes are more premium and run alongside our monthly boxes, they’ll usually contain more lifestyle products like a gorgeous Katie Loxton pouch, a full size candle and notebook as well as the usual skincare and make-up. I love working with big brands such as St Tropez, L’oreal, Pixi and Nails Inc.

Q5. Are you happy with Roccabox as it stands or will you look at other beauty avenues in the future?
Funnily enough I have just done a really successful pop up in my hometown of Leeds, I am thinking of doing a tour of events so I can meet our subscribers as well as get the brand out there more. But I am also looking to do collaborations with big brands, we have just started doing corporate gift boxes in collaboration with a big travel brand. I am open to pretty much anything as long as it’s products beautifully put together in one of our boxes that will make someone feel great, I am all over it!

Q6. Do you like any other beauty subscription boxes that you think are good quality and value for money?
My main competitors, Glossybox and Birchbox are huge international companies, so they just don’t have that love and care that we put in. There have been lots of other boxes pop up over the last couple of years but unfortunately they haven’t lasted long. It’s a really competitive market and you’ve always got to stay ahead of the curve.

Q7. You work with some excellent beauty brands for each Roccabox, are there any beauty brands you are looking to work with in the future?
I’d love to work with more of the bigger brands such as Nars, Charlotte Tilbury, YSL etc, so watch this space for a possible premium quarterly version of what we do.

Q8. Can we delve into the December 2018 box, and are you able to tell us what subscribers can expect in their Christmas edition?
Ooh now that will be a surprise! But we are looking to add in a couple of little extra bits outside of your usual skincare and make-up, but you’ll have to sign up and see.

Huge thanks to Tia Roqaa for taking the time to be part of a #TeamCoco #GBOGB Q&A session.

Search online for Roccabox to find out more about this wonderful subscription service.

Beauty November 9, 2023

#CocoBeauty: Male Grooming Must Have

Forget what you thought was sexy in the world of male grooming, because you ain’t seen anything until you have had the pleasure of experiencing the pure luxury that is the R1 Jack by Bolin Webb.

When you think of a razor, you don’t necessarily think of style and design, but with the Bolin Webb collection of razors that’s exactly what you are going to get in abundance.

#TeamCoco are imagining the world’s most handsome men using the R1 Jack, but we guess that us girls can use them too, we may just need to get used to the closeness of the shave, because that’s what the R1 Jack will give.

Made in Birmingham and cast from Zinc alloy, every razor is inspected and polished by hand, then fitted with world-famous Gillette blades for precision.

We are totally into the quirky design of the award-winning R1 Jack, which is covered with the iconic British Union Jack flag in all-its splendor, and when added to the award-winning Razor Travel Case also by Bolin Webb, we can’t help but think it’s a match made in heaven and perfect for those travel junkies like us at House of Coco.

Priced at £95 for the set (R1 Jack Razor and R1 Razor Travel Case), alternatively to buy separately £75 for the R1 Jack Razor, and £25 for the R1 Razor Travel Case. Available from Bolin Webb online.

Beauty November 9, 2023

#CocoBeauty: Marc Jacobs Beauty Launches in UK

Exclusively in the UK at Harvey Nichols, Marc Jacobs Beauty and the Leopard Frost Limited Edition Collection officially launched last week amidst much acclaim. #TeamCoco were invited to the launch in Leeds to experience the wonders of this makeup brand.

We were treated to breakfast in The Bottle Room at Harvey Nichols Leeds where a number of journalists, bloggers, and makeup artists could enjoy playing with the collection by Marc Jacobs Beauty.

Once we all arrived we heard from one of the brand ambassadors who enlightened us to what Marc Jacobs Beauty was about and how it dared to be different, which is a strong motto of Marc himself as he believes that everyone should be able to be whoever they want to be without apology.

Bring out the lipstick at the dinner table, have the biggest mirror in your handbag to top up your makeup, and make a statement. This was the story behind the new brand to arrive in the UK.

The full collection holds many different products ranging from Eye-Conic Frost Eye Palette, Le Marc Lip Frost Lipstick, Velvet Noir Major Volume Mascara, See-Quins Glam Glitter Eyeshadow, Dew Drops Coconut Gel Highlighter and so much more.

Search online for Marc Jacobs Beauty via the Harvey Nichols website. Makeup products priced from £11 to £79.

Beauty November 9, 2023

#CocoBeauty: In-Flight Beauty Regime

So #TeamCoco are constantly racking up our air miles, which means we’re becoming pretty pro at flying. Flights are sort of second nature to us now. Gone are the days where we would board and realise something we needed was in our case rather than our and luggage. We have the essentials in our hand luggage, liquids separated in plastic bag, flight socks, ear plugs and face masks all tucked away in our holdalls. When it comes to in-flight routines, everyone differs, yet one thing we highly recommend is having an in-flight beauty routine.

Cleanse, exfoliate, face mask, moisturise, lip balm; the lot. As no-one likes to arrive looking bedraggled, dehydrated and sleep deprived, plus, if you look good/put together, you’ll feel it right?

Below are a few of the #TeamCoco holy grails for in-flight beauty. Yes, you may take up sometime in the toilet but if you’re on a long-haul flight, you and your skin are worth it. More often than not, we’ve commenced our beauty routine at our seats, water and cotton wool pads at the ready, there really is no excuse! Please also note that we are so over what people think at this stage, you may look insane on the flight but when you arrive at your destination you’ll look radiant; worth it.

Cleanser – Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser £15

Some people like to rock up to the airport sans make-up, some like to turn up contoured to the max, whatever your preference we recommend Glossier’s Milky Jelly Cleanser. When applied to damp skin, this literally dissolves make-up and grime. It has five skin conditioners but is also tough on impurities, leaving skin super clean and soft.

Exfoliator – Fresh Sugar Facial Scrub £52

This is a must-have and not just for flights, most exfoliators now are enzyme or chemical but this pot of goodness from Fresh is made with brown sugar which seals in moisture whilst buffing away dry and dull skin. The scrub also has plum seed oil, grapeseed oil and wild strawberries, is packed with vitamin C, helping to brighten, hydrate and soothe the skin too.

Mask – Charlotte Tilbury; Instant Magic Facial Dry Sheet Mask; £60 pack of 4

No matter how hard you try, you cannot escape Charlotte Tilbury hype and these masks are no exception. This mess free, completely dry face mask has become a staple in my beauty collection. It hooks over your ears to keep it in place, I often pop the mask on with my sleep mask over and have a nap or listen to some music with it on. The only downside is you do sort of look like something from a horror film with it on so be sure to warn the people in the seats next to you before use. The active ingredients in the masks reduce wrinkles, smooths, brightens, lifts and hydrates for immediate results. Oh and one last bonus, each mask comes in a re-sealable pack and can be re-used up to three times,

Mist – Omorovicza Queen of Hungary Facial Mist; £50

This mist was inspired by the Queen of Hungary water, the worlds’ first recorded perfume formulated in the 14thcentury. The scent of this neroli and rose scented mist is enough to refresh your senses and just a few spritz’s over your face is the perfect pick me up as it’s both purifying and hydrating.

Lips – Dior Lip Glow; £26

Another addiction I have, mainly thanks to duty free, is Dior’s Lip Glow. I now forgo lipstick and lip gloss and totally rely on this little lip balm to keep my lips hydrated with a pop of colour. The lip balm is available in a variety of shades that go on quite subtly but then adjust to your lips before releasing its colour to match. Sounds like a marketing ploy but seriously for me, the lilac goes on very sheer and within about 10 minutes is a beautiful lilac/pink that keeps my lips moisiturised and tinted for hours. It has an SPF of 10 and the formula has wild mango and luffa cylindrica to protect and moisiturise lips. Meaning your lips won’t be all dry and cracked when you land, they will feel hydrated and look as though you’ve got gloss on minus the sticky texture.

Hands & Feet – Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Touch Hand Cream £15 & Samba Foot Cream; £20

After the launch of its Bum Bum Cream (pronounced Boom Boom) this Brazilian brand launched both a hand and foot cream and we are so happy about it. The hand cream conditions and strengthens nails; perfect for after using the drying soaps often used by airlines. The foot cream comes with a little surfboard which helps get rid of any dry skin, please don’t be that weird person and refrain from using that on the flight, just use the cream before your flight socks go on! Both are enriched with Cupuaca butter, Acai, coconut oil and Brazil nuts so will leave your hands and feet soft and beach ready. They also both have the brands signature pistachio and salted caramel scent, which smells like holiday.

Serum– MZ Skin Lift & Lustre; £210

Whether you choose to apply this mid-flight after your routine or as you land, this antioxidant serum formulated by Dr Maryam Zamani is a golden elixir that leaves skin radiant. The rich formula deeply hydrates and adds a soft focus luminosity to the skin, meaning you can go without make up and let skin breathe. If you don’t feel okay enough to go sans make up, then your concealer and foundation can be applied over the serum and you can even add a few more drops of Lift & Lustre over your make-up. Just dab onto the cheekbones, cupids bow and brow bone to lock in moisture, give a subtle highlight and embrace glowing skin as you land.

Voila! In-flight beauty regime complete, just ensure you also take up flight attendants on any offer of water and buy one in duty free to take onboard to keep hydrated within. You and your skin should feel revived no matter how long your flight!