In the months, weeks and days leading up to your wedding, it is important to take care of your skin by following a good skincare regime to ensure your skin glows on your Wedding Day. Having healthy, even and clear skin is the key to achieving your perfect look. This also means you won't have to use a very heavy foundation and lots of concealer; so creating the most natural look will be very easy.

Depending on your skin type and concerns you may have (like spots, clogged pores or black heads), there are a variety of approaches to skincare that may be suitable for you. Below is the kind of skincare regime every professional beauty therapist would advise you to follow from six months prior to your Big Day.

Many women use a daily 3-step skincare routine: cleanser, toner and moisturiser. Depending on your skin type and products you choose to use, a daily routine will condition your skin, maintain healthy moisture levels and reduce excess oil production which may lead to clogged pores. All these factors can reduce the occurrence of spots and open pores, as well as improving flaky, dry and dull skin. Moisturising your skin on a daily basis will also protect your skin from the environmental damage which can cause premature ageing (pollution, smoke, UV rays, air conditioning and stress). If you don't have a proper daily skincare regime, then 6 months prior to your wedding day is the best time to start, as it will take a couple of months for your skin to adjust to the routine and start showing signs of improvement.

If you do have a skincare regime, you may wish to have it reviewed if you still have some problem areas or concerns. If you have been following the same skincare regime for the last two years or more, it is worth having a change because your skin gets used to the products, and so won't be able to offer your skin any further improvement than it provides already. The time of the year is also a key factor in choosing a skincare routine, particularly for combination skin types which may need more hydration in the colder, winter months. If you are getting married abroad in a particularly hot or cold country, your skin will need to adapt quickly to the change in temperature, and the skincare you use can help protect it from the drastic temperature changes and climate differences.

1 month before the Wedding you should start using moisturising, deep pore cleansing facial masks (depending on your skin type) at least once a week prior to your wedding day to target the most problematic areas and give your skin a little boost.

2 weeks before you could have a professional facial peel at your chosen beauty salon. It's not the best time to experiment with a shop-bought kits. A facial peel will help remove a top layer of skin to reveal brighter, more radiant and youthful skin.

If you thinking of shaping your eyebrows and giving them more definition, it is best to do this around 1 week before your wedding. Shaped eyebrows add more definition to your face and create a more groomed look.

A couple of days before your Wedding - including the morning of your Big Day - and in addition to your daily skincare regime, you should exfoliate your skin using a gentle exfoliator (use a face cloth, exfoliating sponge or a facial scrub) and use a stress-relief face mask to add radiance to your skin. This will help your skin look flawless and photogenic all day and provide a perfect base for your Wedding Day makeup.

Fringe Benefits

The blunt fringe is back. Always wanted to give it a go? Then now is the perfect time. Whether your hair is long or short - it will not look out of place. Fringes are making the headlines in the UK and in the US. Women are working the look from Taylor Swift to the First Lady Michelle Obama. Claudia Winkleman’s always been a big fan and plays up the doe-eyed look for maximum impact.

You can choose the fringe length yourself, it can be eyelash skimming for evenings to add more drama and definition to your face and slightly parted or brushed to one side for day-to-day wear.
It can be worn above the brow line as brows are also making a real fashion statement for SS13 so make sure your are perfect.

If you have a short and funky hairstyle, the super-short fringe is also bang on trend. Just a few centimetres long, it gives an added edge and lots of options for styling it, which can change your entire look! Blowdry it downwards using a small round brush or your fingers, then use your straighteners to achieve the desired look and direction.
When you want to create a rock chick or boho style, just tousle your fringe with mousse or styling crème, for a real bedhead minx! Make sure you don't over-do it with oil-based products if you have fine hair, otherwise your fringe might end up looking greasy and in need of a wash!

Poker-Straight locks

After months of bed-head hair and voluminous styles, sleek and sexy styles are back on trend. It’s time for your straighteners to make a comeback and start creating the latest super-straight and shiny sleek looks with a mirror-effect glossy finish.

Whether your hair is curly, wavy or just a little bit frizzy, it is super easy to make your hair look trendy this season. A centre parting will create a softer, girlier finish. Combine it with a fringe to create the new you.

As straighteners can damage to your hair (just like any other heated styling equipment), make sure you look after your hair. Have regular trims  - little bit, but often - which is the key to beautiful locks. Straight hair needs to be in great condition, so give your hair some love and use moisturising masks at least once a week, and good conditioner every time you wash your hair. Make sure the products you use are suitable for your hair, as incorrect product choice can cause more damage than good. Speak to your hair stylist about what will work best for you. Also use a heat protection before straightening. Try not to use oil before straightening as when it heats up, it holds the heat longer and therefore may cause hair damage. Always follow the manufacturer's instructions prior to using new products and equipment.

Long bob

So you've decided that you are ready to grow your hair (again!) but you are not impressed with this midi look? Don’t worry  - models all over the catwalks are sporting the same LOB (yes, it is not a typo, we are talking about Long Bob)! Hair below chin length, or that just touches your shoulders, is the new must-have look for the coming season, and in no way does it look like it needs to be shaped in something other than what it is.

If you feel that a long bob might look boring, then speak to your hair stylist about adding more dimension with colour. Well-blended shades can change any hairstyle. Hair can be all one length, or have some graduation in it (when upper layers are shorter, while the underneath is left longer). LOB is a great hair style for dip-dye ends with various colour combinations - another way to change your look using colour rather than chopping the hair yet again. Such a cut can be worn straight or curled into soft waves.

Ponytails

Get some ‘swish’ factor in your hair with the latest fashion for long ponytails. They are great for long hair, but can also work for short hair with the addition of a ponytail hair piece.

The look can be tailored to suit the occasion or your mood: wear high on the crown for a carefree style, lower for a classic ‘Barbie’ pony or at the nape of the neck for smooth sophistication and class.

Secure your ponytail with a soft bobble (not an elastic band, they pull your hair out when you try to remove them! However if you must use one, then cut it out with scissors to avoid hair damage).  Then wrap a centimeter wide strand of hair around the base of the pony tail to finish. Soften the look with a side-swept fringe, or pull out a few strands around the face. You can also curl these strands slightly for a softer look. Finish your look with hairspray which will protect your style from the effects of humidity and hold your style in place all day.

"Bad Gal" hairstyles

Sleek and smooth styles do nothing for you? Then Bad Gal hairstyles are what you need to spice up your look this season.

Funky cuts are making a come back this SS13 season… very short fringes, disconnections, undercuts and flashes of unusual colour will bring your inner rebel out and show everyone your edginess.

Find a hairstylist who can achieve the look you want and will not shy away of creating something funky and edgy. Your hair will make a fashion statement so let it have some fun with the styling! Moulding your hair into shape will become your daily routine, as such cuts will do little to your style without investing a little time and effort in perfecting the final look. Use styling gels, putty and texture powder/dust to create that edgy look and make a fashion statement.

So are you ready to transform your look?

Every girl wants to look her best for her high school prom. After all, it is your special night. Along with your beautiful dress, the second most important part of your look is your hairstyle, and you certainly don't want to pick the wrong one. Prom hairstyles can enhance your facial features and makeup, while still allowing you to feel confident and comfortable all night long.

Since the prom is one of the most important formal (and social) party of your high school career, you'll want to make the best impression you can, and the right hairstyle can make or break it. To get that perfect look you must plan ahead. This is definitely not a last-minute affair, and a prom hairstyle has to suit your entire look, including your dress, shoes, nails and attitude. 

Whether your hair is short, long, curly or straight, finding the right hairstyle is easy when you have a professional stylist on hand. From the girl-next-door look to a sassy diva, with some research and advice from a professional hairdresser, make-up artist and nail technician you can find the prom style that is perfect for you. Just look through our gallery of hairstyles and you'll find lots of options to choose from, including prom hairstyles for long hair, short hair, medium-length hair, straight hair, curly hair, updos, celebrity hairstyles and more!

Understand your natural hair texture. Knowing what type of hairstyles work with specific types of hair will help you choose a prom hairstyle that will complement you.

Find pictures! Fashion magazines, beauty salon books and the Internet are all great sources for prom hairstyles. When you see something that you like, make a copy of it (snap it with your phone's camera) or cut it out. This visual aid will help ensure that you and your stylist understand what is required and what can be expected.

So plan ahead for your high school prom night by looking through our hairstyles, or book a trial with KGB Salon which lasts up to two hours when you can try out various different looks that may work for you in the comfort of your own home. That's right, we offer mobile hairdressing, beauty and nail services, so we come to you, whether you're in Inverness, Nairn or Dingwall. And by planning ahead, and trying out different things, you'll be sure to have gorgeous hair that will make your memorable prom night picture perfect!

After yet another trip to Boots to satisfy my makeup cravings and top up my ever-expanding collection of mascaras (I have around 23 now!)  with something new and definitely better than all the other ones I own, I came to the conclusion that most of them really are the same…

So here comes the Diary of a makeup addict. Day 1327

First, Illegal Length Fiber Extensions
Claims to build 4mm of measurable extensions
What actually happens: yes it does add the volume and maybe even length however I found that it clumps up quite a bit and after about 6 hours of wear I start to develop the dreaded panda eyes
Likes: the wand – sleek and thin, covers all of the lashes even in the corners
Dislikes: clumping and flaking
Score: 3 out of 5

Second, Colossal Volume Express - Cat Eyes
Claims that the claw brush will fill out lashes up to 8 x the volume with fabulous cat-like corners, instantly
What actually happens: doesn’t do anything special to the lashes, definitely your average mascara. Adds some volume, but not the length
Likes: erm, not much! Average, average, average! Packaging is nice but quality is not PURRfect!
Dislikes: clumping, doesn’t separate lashes, wand seem to only work in the middle and not edges
Score: 2.5 out of 5

Third, The One by One Volume Express
Claims to catch, coat and de-clump each lash to make them all fatter and flirtier and add instant clump-free volume.
What actually happens: saying that this mascara de-clumps lashes is an overstatement. It may not be as clumpy as others but I wouldn’t say it’s completely clump-free. Definitely flakes less than the above two mascaras
Likes: Contact lens safe – yey!
Dislikes: Smudges under eyes – if you underline your eyes anyway then you may not find this much of a problem, however for a fresh-faced makeup this mascara is no good unless you like your makeup to change from day look to night look by the end of your working day
Score: 4 out 5 (I wear contact lenses from time to time and I like the fact that this mascara doesn’t irritate my eyes)

Fourth, last and clearly the best… Ladies and Gentlemen, let me introduce the winner of the Maybelline mascara competition to date: THE ROCKET!
Claims to create 8x more volume (I think I heard it somewhere already???), long length, zero clumps with supersonic wand
What actually happens: well my hopes for a super-cosmic volume didn’t materialise however a few millimetres in length were certainly welcome. In terms of clumps – I’d say it’s more of 0.5 than zero clumps!
Likes: Everything! I totally love my Rocket!
Dislikes: Could’ve been a bit more inventive with the wand
Score: 4.5 out of 5

So no mascaras scored 5 out 5 today so Maybelline, there’s definitely room for improvement and I’m more than happy to try, test and blog about it!

Today I'm reviewing the Corioliss C3 Ultimate Straighteners. I purchased these about 2 months ago and by now I've used them on my own hair as well as on my lovely clients. I have straightened, curled, flicked-twisted the hair with these and so far I can honestly say the Corioliss C3 are definitely one of the best straighteners I have ever used!

Corioliss state that the C3 is the next generation of heat styler. The titanium technology is supposed to give the ultra-smooth plates effortless glide, while the pro variable temperature adjustment allows you to straighten, curl, flick and twist in one effortless pass. Well, let me tell you that this peace of kit definitely does what it says. I love the extra long floating plates which help create very sleek, effortless styles. The leopard print design took it to a whole new level for me - as I now have another item that perfectly fits in with all my pink and animal printed tools which many of my clients love. I always get comments on how colour co-ordinated i am. It's so cool that Corioliss have combined superb quality with excellent design.

Another plus is that the temperature control which varies from 135 to 235 degrees C, which means these straighteners can be used on hair extensions, very fragile / fine hair and on very thick, unruly afro-carribean locks. The ergonomic, slimline design and 2.5m salon approved swivel cord mean that the iron is versatile, flexible and easy to use. The LED digital temperature display mean that you can take complete control of your styling and achieve sleek, glossy and versatile looks in the blink of an eye.

The Sleep Mode will come in handy too so you won't have to worry whether you have switched off those straighteners - so that's another tick in the box.

The Professional 360° Swivel Cord is great if trying to multitask while getting ready for a night out.
A cherry on the cake for me was the matching leopard print heat-resistant travel pouch.

So are these really so good? Well, as far as I can see these are definitely great! I would rate them 5 out of 5 for sure. One thing that annoys me though, is the position of the buttons which is one the side of the straighteners and sometimes (especially when you curl the hair) you can accidently switch them off when turning the plates round. Brilliant results outweigh the unfortunate minor design flow but i'm sure this is something that Coriloiss may address in their next generation of straighteners. So my GHD's can now gracefully retire...

 It was an early start. Too early for me. Up at 5am. Pick up my model, Agija, at 6:30am. Fall into the bus for Aberdeen outside Inverness College at 6:45am, joining the rest of the Inverness College Crew. Doze on and off on the 3 hour drag along the A96, barely noticing as the towns and villages roll by.

Finally, and thankfully, we reached the Aberdeen Beach Ballroom too tired to talk much and desperate for a now-very-late breakfast and coffee to kick-start my day properly.

It was freezing when we stepped off the bus at 9:40, and the Ballroom was already busy, meaning we had a long wait in the queue to register for the Festival.

Once settled into my ‘station’ I immediately started on my model Agija’s bridal make-up, finishing by 11:30, well ahead of my Bridal Hair competition time-slot of 3pm.

The Festival was already running late, which meant I had to wait until almost 4:30 before starting Agija’s bridal hairstyle - a retro, ‘40s style, topped off with a discrete black veil.

I managed to finish Agija’s hair inside my allotted 45 minutes, and then spent another 45 minutes biting my nails until the 6pm award ceremony.

My nerves increased as the judges made their way through the earlier categories until they came to the Bridal category. I held my breath.

“Third place goes to...(damn the pauses!)”, not me.

“Second place goes to...(double-damn their pauses!!)”, not me again! Agija and I looked at each other, braced for disappointment.

“And first place in the Bridal category goes to...” (super-long-annoying pause) “...Anna Zelanika from Inverness College!” For a heartbeat I questioned if they’d REALLY said my name. I looked at Agija and she was grinning like a Cheshire Cat! I HAD won! Wow!!!!! Anna Zelanika, North-East Scotland Hair and Beauty Festival 2012 Bridal Hair Award-winner! It had a great ring to it! =)

I was dumbstruck! Lost for words! Which as anyone who knows me, doesn’t happen very often! I hugged Agija

I almost silently picked up my prize - a Matrix Gift Set, Award Certificate and medal - and posed with Agija for the official (and unofficial) photos.

We were bundled back on the bus, and with a short stop at a local supermarket for a bottle of bubbly, and a celebratory ‘meal’ a McDonalds(!), we all headed back along the A96 towards Inverness. The journey seemed to whizz by, probably because I spent so much time phoning friends and family to share my good news.

I arrived home tired but happy, and was greeted by my boyfriend with ANOTHER bottle of bubbly!!

Today i'm posting a simple purple & blue smokey eye look which is super easy to do. I have blue deep-set eyes which sometimes are quite tricky to emphasize, especially because I wear glasses, but there are few tricks that can help you along the way:
- I started with BB cream by 17 (full review can be found here). The Kick Ass concealer by Soap and Glory helped me to hide those horrible dark circles under my eyes;
- When you've finished applying your base you can move on to your eyes. Start by applying a very light or even shimmery colour across the whole of the eyelid, which will make your eye appear bigger;
- Don't choose very dark colours, and never apply them to the whole eyelid. Instead go with softer browns, purples, blues or greys depending on your eye colour, and only apply it to the crease of your eyelid;
- Make sure to blend in the colours together to disguise any harsh lines;
- I used a cobalt blue eye pencil under my lower lashes and a little light shimmering eyeshadow in the corners of my eyes to really emphasise the rest of the colours and, yet again, make my eyes appear bigger;
- Apply dark eyeliner (gel liner, like Maybellene Lasting Drama or Loreal Super Liner Gel Intenza are my personal favourites) as close to your top lashes as possible to help them appear thick and full. Create a little flick with your eyeliner brush for more drama;
- A few coats of black mascara on your top lashes will also make your eyes appear bigger, however you should refrain from applying mascara to the lower lashes if you have deep-set eyes, otherwise your efforts to enlarge your eyes will not pay off. Apply a set of false eyelashes if desired, but this is optional. In this photo I've only applied a couple of coats of Maybelline Colossal Volume Express: Smokey eyes edition;
- Don't forget your eyebrows: fill in the gaps between little hairs with light strokes of an eyebrow pencil or by using eyebrow palette and an applicator  - remember, eyebrows frame your face so they are important!
- Apply a small amount of powder all over your face to give a slight matte effect;
- Emphasise your cheekbones with some blusher and contour your beautiful features with some bronzer to give you that fresh "just back from holiday" look.

To create this look i used a number of make up brushes however you don't have to use as many and can even get away with using applicators provided with your eyeshadow.

Voilà! Your smokey eye makeup look is now complete :)

Yet another BB cream has been thoroughly tried, tested and reviewed. This time it’s a Boots 17 product, a make-up brand that is squarely aimed at younger people.

I’ve previously tried the L’Oreal BB cream which frankly left me rather unimpressed, and it looks like it will spend a lot of time in my drawer rather than on my face, as it is way too dry for my skin. My full review of the L’Oreal BB is here.

I should start by saying that I’m currently on a mission to find the best thing for my skin and also something that actually does what it says on the tin.

Fortunately, due to the UK being totally swamped with different brands producing their own BB creams, there are plenty to try!

BB cream is really not the holy grail of make-up, although various magazines and web-resources are trying to say exactly that. This particular Blemish Balm is, however, very good indeed. The only let-down in my opinion is that colour range is very limited, but being fair-skinned, once again  - just like in case with the L’Oreal Nude Magique - I had to go for a medium tone rather than light. So my advice here would be to ‘try before you buy’ to make sure it suits your skin-tone!!!

At the moment the price for this beauty wonder is only £5.99 at Boots, but this is a launch price, and so it will increase soon - so snap a bargain now!

SPF25 is very handy for hot summer days, but with last days of summer being as miserable as they are, it will give you a peace of mind rather than protection from any scorching sunshine. However if you are lucky enough to head abroad on holiday to soak up some sunshine, then this cream is definitely for you.

The Boots 17 BB cream is rather moisturizing, which is good, but it also left my skin feeling a tiny bit tacky. However, this can be easily sorted with a bit of mineral finishing powder.

The cream also has a very light coverage, but I did have to use a concealer under my eyes. However, if your skin is flawless with only tiny imperfections, then this cream is a must have. The cream effectively works as a very good tinted moisturizer, with small amounts of pigment and therefore would be suitable for young skin.

Another great thing about this BB cream is that it contains light-reflecting particles, which conceals fine lines and evens out skin tone. Tired skin will also look subtly perked up thanks to small level of luminosity in the cream.

Overall Boots 17 BB cream a great product with an affordable price tag which does what it claims to do.

Rating: 4.5 out 5

BB cream for me definitely became a must-have in my make-up bag this year. I tried and tested a number of them, trying to compare their qualities and suitability for my skin. Most of you have probably tried some of them too and reviews I’ve read to date are very mixed, ranging from very poor to the very best with few people even going as far as choosing BB creams over their usual foundation.

To start with I’ll try to define what BB cream actually is, and what it is intended to do for you.

BB Cream stands for Blemish Balm cream or Blemish Base cream – which is pretty much foundation, concealer and moisturiser all in one. It’s a combined product that could potentially eliminate quite a few products from your make up bag.

I was shopping the other day and just could not resist the urge to try Loreal’s Nude Magique BB Cream. Attractive packaging and unusual consistency got me totally intrigued and I treated myself to yet another make-up item.

The size of the tube is rather standard – 30ml which is ok and will probably be used by an average consumer before its expiry date, although for such a make-up junkie like me, the product has to be of an outstanding quality for it not to get lost amongst my ever-expanding collection of tubes, bottles and jars of beauty stuff.

Nude Magique promises 24-hr moisturising and SPF12 protection.

When squeezed out it’s actually white with dark pigmented capsules, but as soon as you start working on it with your fingers the capsules burst adapting to your skin tone. Although my skin is pale, the tone I plumped for was MEDIUM, as the LIGHT option was too light, so you may want to carefully check its suitability for your particular skin-tone.

To be honest, I was less than impressed with coverage. I still had to use concealer over it to hide a few spots. After about 5 hours it was starting to be absorbed and began to expose my pores, which is not what you’d expect from a foundation. Another let down was that it lifts off and leaves marks on your phone when talking. For me that’s a big negative, because I like to talk on the phone. A lot!

I would like to add that as a moisturiser it doesn’t work as well as dedicated moisturiser. It gives you matt coverage, but even my T-zone at the end of the day felt quite dry. If moisturizing qualities are very important to you then I’d recommend a good moisturising base prior to the application of Loreal’s BB cream. On a positive note it really is hardly noticeable, very light and goes on the skin very easy and evenly.

RATING: 3 out of 5

Finally the time has come for some exciting news from KGB Salon! Today I would like to talk about three fabulous new services we will be offering to our clients in the very near future: Indian, Swedish and Shiatsu head massages. For the uninitiated, Shiatsu is the Japanese art of Finger Pressure.

So what benefits does a head massage bring?

Although the scalp is healthiest when it’s clean, from time to time it also requires some physical stimulation to keep any potential problems at bay. Studies have shown that head massage increases the production of certain chemicals in the body, including endorphins and serotonin [source: National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine]. These are “the happiness” hormones which put you in a better mood, reduce stress and help you relax.

Head massage is one of the best ways to reduce stress, relieve headaches and migraines, relieve fatigue, hair and scalp problems as well as mental and physical tiredness. Good massage techniques include a combination of different pressure points, correct positioning and strokes, as these aspects play a crucial role in a good head massage.

Along with these benefits, head massage can also improve sleep and help you concentrate. It has a very positive effect on the scalp and hair and, when done on a regular basis, it will prevent hair loss, premature baldness and the appearance of grey hair by improving blood circulation around the hair follicles which improves hair growth.

If you choose to use nourishing oils during a scalp massage, these will condition the scalp, reducing the occurrence of dandruff and dry skin that can interfere with the hair growth process. Oils also condition the hair shaft and root, which lessens the chances of brittleness, hair strand breakage, and split ends.

Depending on the type of the massage you choose, there are many different strokes which can be used during the course of each massage. There are gliding strokes which range from feather-light to firm and reassuring petrissage of the soft tissue in the scalp and neck area which calm muscle tension on and around the head. Effleurage strokes warm up the scalp and prepare it for deeper treatment, whilst other techniques involve stretching, pressing and rolling.

So as you can see, the benefits of a massage are plentiful. We’re excited about this new addition to our services, and hope you are too. Keep an eye on this blog for details of the launch date and our specials offers!