Paige Hunter Blog

The latest makeup technique, ‘Strobing’ has taken over the Western beauty world by storm.

With the likes of Vogue India, Marie Claire, Elle Magazine and Cosmopolitan writing rave appraisals, strobing has kicked contouring out of the building.

But did you know that strobing which highlights and brightens areas of the face has been used as a go-to makeup tip among Desi girls for years?

Perfect for ethnic and darker skin tones, strobing is the anti-contouring tool you need to build a natural glow.

Whenever images of A list celebrities are portrayed in glossy magazines, their skin is luminous, gleaming and perfectly radiant.

No doubt to the envy of all reading, watching and observing these celebs. But what if you were able to create this candlelit glow upon your own faces which could quite easily rival these famous bodies?

Well don’t worry. DESIblitz is here to show you how to master the strobing technique for yourselves.

What is Strobing?

Strobing is a new trend for essentially ‘highlighting’ ones face using a cream or powder makeup product to imitate where light would naturally reflect off one’s face.

I.e. on the tops of the cheekbones, tip of the nose, above the eyebrows and above the lips, all which create a healthy, dewy look.

This technique is perfect for those who feel that the ‘contour craze’, which is still so prevalent in the beauty industry is a bit tricky to achieve.

That’s even with the millions of tutorials on YouTube and the many different techniques you can use to achieve that chiselled and sculpted look which the likes of Kim Kardashian have made so famous today.

Strobing has shunned contouring out the back door since this technique sees adding highlighter to the face to produce that defined look without the use of shading which contouring helps to create.

It’s already been used heavily in the East among Pakistani celebs like Mehreen Syed, Mahira Khan, Ayesha Omar and Humaima Malick.

But how can you achieve this look for yourself?

What you will need:

A highly emollient cream or Vaseline OR

A shimmering gold eyeshadow or powder highlighter (light or dark depending on one’s skin tone) OR

An illuminating primer OR

A cream based highlighter

Either one of the above products will work when using this ‘strobing’ technique.

Popular vlogger, Missy Lynn who posts many beauty tutorials on her YouTube channel advises:

“If you are a fair to medium tone, I would recommend using more of a champagne colour. If you are tanned to dark, I would use golds and deeper bronzed shades.”

“If you are of a fairer shade then you don’t want to use anything that’s too deep because it will start to look like you’re wearing bronzer.”

Get the Look!

Primarily, ensure that your skin has been exfoliated, so you are free of any dry patches, cleansed and have moisturised thoroughly.

Secondly, using any of the above products, with a makeup brush or even one’s fingers, pat the product above your cheekbones.

Thirdly, dust the product on the tip of the nose for a lifted and natural highlight to mimic that glow.

Apply some above the lips to create the illusion of a full pout and pat onto the inner corners of the eyes for that sparkle!

Finish off with whatever is left on your brush by sweeping the brush directly above the arch of your eyebrows and set your face by loosely dusting the skin with a light powder.

You have highlighted using the ‘strobing’ technique!

This technique is simple yet effective with even those who know nothing about makeup being able to achieve this look.

These steps are universal for all face shapes as opposed to contouring which is different to each face shape which may be the reason for this new makeup trend taking off by storm.

The trend of ‘strobing’, has most likely been used over the years by many makeup lovers and makeup artists alike but now has just been given a term.

This technique is essentially simply highlighting one’s face and is incredibly easy to do.

So if you are looking to change your makeup routine or look, try this technique and create a stunning natural looking glow!

You should also see:

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My partner is an identical twin. He and his twin brother love many of the same things, but have never been attracted to the same women.

Strange at it may seem, science has an explanation for why this is and, indeed, why we all have a "type" we're attracted to.

We know that certain people are generally accepted as being attractive, but there are plenty of others who we agree to disagree on.

"Although certain characteristics of human faces are broadly considered more attractive (e.g., symmetry, averageness), people also routinely disagree with each other on the relative attractiveness of faces," said the researchers, psychologists from America's Wellesley College.

"That is, to some significant degree, beauty is in the 'eye of the beholder'."

To come to this conclusion, the researchers had 35,000 participants rate the beauty of other faces.

They found that, about 50 per cent of the time, we agree on the attractiveness of others – the more symmetrical among us.

The other 50 per cent is where our personal preference and "type" comes into play.

"This fits with the common intuition that on the one hand, fashion models can make a fortune with their good looks, while on the other hand, friends can endlessly debate about who is attractive and who is not," co-author Laura Germine said.

To try and understand what influenced the sense of beauty in the second 50 per cent, the researchers took 547 pairs of identical twins and 214 pairs of fraternal twins and asked them to rate 200 faces.

The idea was that the identical twins would be attracted to the same types of faces, assuming genetics are to blame for what we find beautiful.

This was not the case.

"In our case, we found that even though identical twins share all of their genes and their family environment they were really, really different from each other in their facial aesthetic preferences," co-author Jeremy Wilmer told Time.

The researchers hypothesised​ that this was because even twins who grow up with the same or similar genes and the same environment have a unique experience of the world around them.

Their individual social encounters with other people, their consumption of media and other life experiences can all influence who they end up finding beautiful or not.

Their research "provides a novel window into the evolution and architecture of the social brain" and supports "the long-standing claim that environments shape individual notions of what is attractive".

Expanding on their research could provide insight into what influences our preferences for other things too, like music, art or pets.

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Arrivederci Milan Fashion Week, bonjour Paris Fashion Week spring/summer 2016. Now that we've seen all the wonderful shows and presentations that took place throughout the Italian fashion capital, we've listed our favorite fashionable showcases from the week.

Keep scrolling to see which spring/summer 2016 MFW runway shows we loved, and let us know what you think of them in the comment section.

#5 Roberto Cavalli

Roberto Cavalli creative director Peter Dundas called his homecoming collection for the brand at MFW "an homage to the Roberto Cavalli woman — past, present and beyond," according to WWD. The fashion house's spring/summer 2016 range was inspired by the 80s (much like the season's collections from Prada, J.W. Anderson and Christopher Kane). The designer put a unique twist on body-con dresses, high-waisted jeans and leggings, sleeveless biker jackets, bandeau tops and rugged utility parkas.

#4 Marni

Consuelo Castiglioni's spring/summer 2016 collection for Marni was one of the most colorful to appear on the MFW runway. The billowing, over-constructed range was change of pace for a brand with a reputation for "woman-friendly" designs, according to Vogue. The show notes stated that Castiglioni worked on the collection reference-free. The range featured many flattened, 2-D designs — as well as elongated tunics, fluid trousers, long dresses in oversize sport mesh and chunky jewelry.

#3 Iceberg

For Arthur Arbesser's first collection for Iceberg, the designer embraced the Italian brand's heritage in knits and its reputation for color or pattern. The range was 85 percent knitted pieces, Arbesser told WWD backstage before the show, and was loosely inspired by the work of artist Enrico Baj. The stunning range grasped that motif with its striking vertical stripes, bold print on a silk dress, body-hugging minidresses and skin-tight jumpsuit.

#2 Prada

WWD called Miuccia Prada's impeccable spring/summer 2016 collection for Prada a "treatise on sartorial polish." The range focused on patterned, tailored suits, which were featured in unexpected checks, tweeds, stripes, leather, suede and transparent prints. The show also featured impressive accessories and fashion-forward, stunning styling. Unforunately, the designer herself was unable to be at the MFW presentation this season due to the passing of her aunt.

#1 Gucci

Alessandro Michele's collections for Gucci just keep getting better. The brand's former accessories designer has introduced a whole new aesthetic for the label that is being lauded by the industry. For MFW SS16, Michele told WWD that he sought to be "free in the idea of beauty." The cohesive collection was a combination of deeply researched motifs (like Chinoiserie, Egyptian imagery and femininity) and aesthetics from the Renaissance and 1970s — all with timeless wearabilty. It's no surprise that Michele also produced fresh accessories for his spring 2016 MFW range, but some of the designs have already fallen under controversy.

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Just when we thought the man bun phenomenon wasn't going anywhere soon - it does after all have its own Instagram account and hashtag manbunmonday manbunmonday - it turns out the style du jour could in fact be making men go bald. Yep, a health specialist has spoken out to say that hairstyles that pull at the hairline and create tension around the temples - that would include the man bun - can result in Traction alopecia. The condition, which causes acute baldness around the forehead and temples, is a direct result of hairstyles that pull the hair over long periods of time. Ouch.

Dermatologist Sabra Sullivan told Mic, "It's really, really common. I see it probably once or twice a week."

"They're putting traction on the hair follicles that the hair is not really meant to take," Sullivan said, adding the behavior could lead to follicle death plus permanent scarring. "Traction alopecia in men is becoming more common," she said and agreed that man buns were at least partly to blame.

This revelation spells serious bad news for A-list man bun poster boys Oliver Proudlock - we haven't seen him without a perky top knot in months - and Jared Leto.

However it's not just the boys at risk from rocking an on-trend 'do Sullivan also revealed that the condition affects women too, with the most common culprit being a weave or tight ponytail. In fact, experts say any hairstyle that creates overly tight hair pulling, regardless of gender, could produce irreversible long-term consequences. "Once you damage the hair follicle, it will not grow back," Dennis Zuniga, a high-end stylist at New York's Donsuki Salon, told Mic.

But there is some good news for man bun lovers - "There are lots of men who wear man buns and don't get traction alopecia," Sullivan said. She and other experts agreed that for those looking to sport pulled hairstyles, there was one simple rule: Keep it loose. "The idea is not to pull so tight," she said. "You don't want to have to go for hair transplants later."

So there you have it boys, think undone chignon rather than Croydon facelift next time you scrape those locks back.

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As the beach-bum babes of Tommy Hilfiger’s Bob Marley–influenced runway show came wading through a makeshift ocean bank yesterday, one’s eye could hardly absorb it at first, what with the joyful collision of kaleidoscopic color, dizzying prints, and barely there mesh designs advancing upon the crowd. Bringing it all into sharp focus? The buoyant and bountiful Afros that swayed from the heads of models Imaan Hammam, Karly Loyce, Lineisy Montero, and Amilna Estevão. Varying in shape, size, and texture—showcasing the range and versatility of the perennial natural black hairstyle—these ’fros joined a veritable curly girl collective whose visibility is growing steadily at the Spring 2016 collections.

Although certainly no new hair phenomenon, with Afros long being a sign of black beauty and style, it’s a refreshing change of pace on the catwalk. Historically, black models have had their spirals straightened for shows, often resulting in uneven results, harrowing tales of hair damage, and an emphasis on a narrow beauty ideal. This new upswing seems to suggest a long overdue shift in thinking on diverse hair patterns, and might we say, also happens to induce plenty of curl envy?

Just look to newcomers Loyce and Montero, who, since making their debuts on the runways earlier this year, have sent ripples through the industry with their cropped and trim crowns of curls, separating the pair from an anonymous pack of new faces and pin-straight locks. This month, Loyce’s signature ’do is featured in Céline’s Fall 2015 campaign, while Montero’s striking look won her a spot opening Jason Wu and Derek Lam in New York City this season. And they’re not the only ones.

At Diane von Furstenberg on Sunday, the designer’s signature mane of ruffled curls was reimagined into two-strand twists on Anais Mali, while Estevão’s teeny-weeny Afro resembled a little bushel of tightly wound screws. Meanwhile, Josiane Monteiro’s mass of curls, Milan Dixon’s crinkled bounty of waves, and Nyamuoch Girwath’s neatly clipped ’fro played with volume and shape as much as the Rosie Assoulin designs they modeled at the Spring 2016 presentation. Even male models are making hair-raising statements, what with Telfar’s comely and sculpted man coterie sporting natural hairstyles from flops of curls to springy corkscrews to strands of dreads à la A$AP Rocky.

With the hotly anticipated show designed by Kanye West set to debut tomorrow, there is bound to be a motley of gravity-defying curls akin to those on display at his Fall 2015 presentation. Stay tuned.

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“I’ve always liked to get the dance party started, and if it takes me being the person to get out of my seat, I’ll do it,” said Hailee Steinfeld. “The minute I met Michael I felt like I was the last person to get out. He just knows how to have a good time—and he’s such a good soul.” The Michael in question is, of course, Michael Kors, the always generous, legendarily fun force in fashion (and Steinfeld’s date to this year’s Met Ball), who celebrated the launch of his new fragrance line, Gold, at the Top of the Standard last night.

The bash brought out just about every major super in the game: Constance Jablonski and Jacquelyn Jablonski, Tao Okamoto, Karmen Pedaru, Kate Upton, and Devon Windsor, to name a few, not to mention the aforementioned Steinfeld, Inez and Vinoodh, Jaime King, and Camilla Belle.

“[Michael] cares about his girls, and he knows us really well,” said Constance.

And the affection showed. The buzzing crowd sipped on champagne throughout the night, and at just the right moment, Kors bestowed a rare treat: a performance by Duran Duran, a band fresh off the release of a new album (hitting streets Friday) and the object of so much nostalgic affection. Guests moved toward the center of the room as the guys hit the stage, and the energy was tangible.

For Kors, the evening was all about embracing a certain brand of untamed mystique. “We wanted a fragrance collection that evoked the idea that glamour was something you could have every day in your life,” said the New Yorker as the band revved up. “It wasn’t just for the night out. You could be glamorous going to the gym, going to the office, and you add a little gold and immediately [have that] in your life—put on a great gold earring, put on a great gold necklace and your face comes to life. We wanted the fragrances to really represent that.”

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At age 12, Mr Sevan Bicakci was a troublemaker who dropped out of school. Exasperated at his possible lack of job prospects, his father sent him to work as an apprentice in the workshop of an Armenian jeweller who was also their neighbour.

Now aged 43, Mr Bicakci is considered by the Turkish jewellery industry to be the star jeweller of Turkey, where he was born and still lives.

He is best known for his one-of-a-kind, majestic gemstone rings which feature figures and monuments intricately carved within them using the reverse intaglio technique. This technique involves hollowing out a gemstone from its back and carving out a desired shape. Fans of his rings include celebrities such as fashion designer Tory Burch, actress Brooke Shields and singer Celine Dion.He has garnered numerous prestigious jewellery awards, including six Couture Design Awards. The latter is considered the Oscars of the jewellery industry, and is given out during the Couture fine jewellery and luxury timepiece international trade show in the United States. His work is also exhibited at museums and art galleries in London, Bahrain and Houston.

Mr Bicakci was here recently as some of his pieces are being sold at multi-label store Edit Lifestyle's Turkish Delight Pop-Up Bazaar. The pop-up closes on Sep 20, after which those interested in his jewellery can place orders through Edit Lifestyle.

Mr Bicakci launched his own jewellery line in 2002, after working as a model maker for eight years.

His first collection was inspired by the historical 500-year-old Grand Bazaar in the Sultanahmet area of Turkey where he lives. In fact, he cites Turkey's history and heritage as major influences in his work, in particular, the Byzantine, Ottoman and Roman eras.

He says: "It all starts with dreaming and story-telling. I don't start by looking at the materials made available to me by nature because there will always be a limit. I know that will restrict my creativity. When you start with a dream, the possibilities are endless.

"It doesn't matter where the materials can be found, whether it's next door or at the other end of the world, I'll chase it to make the dream come true."

He has used a wide range of materials for his pieces, from common ones like gold and diamonds, to rarities like mammoth bone. Techniques he employs in his jewellery include metal-based painting, engraving, calligraphy and micro-mosaic setting.

He says: "All the techniques I use are based on craft, they are not technology-based. Some of them have been forgotten in the last century. Some of them stem from my own explorations and are completely new. I am always on a quest to experiment and a part of our workshop is dedicated to that."

Each piece is unique and can take four months on average to make. His atelier only produces 400 to 500 pieces a year. The pieces at Edit Lifestyle range from $8,400 to $400,000.

One elaborate piece, a bracelet and ring combination called Kraken that was inspired by the octopus in Jules Verne's Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, took more than a year to make. Made of gold, diamonds and pearls, it is not for sale and Mr Bicakci intends to pass it on to his nine-year-old daughter. It is on show at Edit Lifestyle.

Mr Emre Dilaver, creative director of the brand, says that most of its customers are women who range from age 30 to 60 and are those "not looking for everyday accessories, but for a powerful statement".

"Some have started buying with Sevan since he started and have followed him ever since. Funnily, these people seem to know each other other. It's like a small family. We've never invested one penny in marketing, it's all from word of mouth."

On how the brand has evolved, Mr Dilaver, 48, says: "Sevan started as a servant to the market, producing what it wanted. However, what you see in his first collection and now, it is the purification of the ideas that he kept having since he started. It is all him, all original."

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Gal Gadot feels very lucky to have gained very little weight during pregnancy.

Gal Gadot's husband joked their baby must have been standing upright in her stomach because she didn't put on weight.

The actress, who has been cast as Wonder Woman, has three-year-old daughter Alma with her husband Yaron Varsano. She barely showed during her first two trimesters and therefore didn't struggle to ping back into shape after giving birth.

"Because my baby bump only started showing in the sixth or seventh month, Yaron kept joking that the baby must be standing upright and that's why I was so slim!" Gal laughed to German magazine Jolie.

"But seriously: I was just very lucky. And that despite loving to cook and eat."

The 30-year-old always makes nutritious meals, so that's no doubt one of the reasons she didn't see the pounds pile on. Among her favourite ingredients are chicken, fish and vegetables.

Now that little Alma is here, she's already taking tips from her gorgeous mother and is always begging to do her make-up when she sees Gal applying hers.

"I asked my mum if I was the same, but she told me I was a total boy," the star laughed. "I was only interested in playing football and being active, so my own mum never gave me beauty tips."

Even now, Gal isn't particularly interested in make-up. While she's happy enough to do her own on a day off, she'd never attempt going DIY for the red carpet.

"I've never been able to get my eyeliner straight!" she laughed. "During the day I'll stick to concealer, mascara and a little foundation - even I can manage that!"

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Kendall Jenner cuddles up to Karl Lagerfeld's cat in Vogue fashion shoot.

The 19-year-old model is a firm favourite of the Chanel boss - who gave her the honour of closing his couture show back in June - and now the iconic designer has trusted the beauty to star in a campaign alongside his closest companion, Choupette Lagerfeld.

Kendall can be seen cuddling up to the feline on a white futon armchair and dressed in a crochet-style floral jacket and skirt ensemble in the style of Coco Chanel, whilst she lightly pets Choupette, who is looking demurely away from the camera.

Choupette has her own Instagram account and posted the image from the project entitled 'Forces of Fashion: The Designers, Models and Personalities Defining Our Era'.

Her account proudly states that she is ''a spoiled #Chanel pussy whose maids pamper her every need.''

Meanwhile, Karl says his favourite pet is a ''a kept woman'' who likes to pass the time using his iPad.

He said: ''She is like a kept woman. She has a strong personality. She has lunch and dinner with me on the table, with her own food. She doesn't touch my food. She doesn't want to eat on the floor. She sleeps under a pillow and she even knows how to use an iPad.''

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Never forget the sunscreen: Select a sunscreen with SPF of at least 20. The sunscreen should be applied 20 minutes before sun exposure, to allow it time to be absorbed by the skin. It should be reapplied if you are in the sun for longer than an hour. The harmful effects of the sun increase when you are near water bodies and snow (as they reflect the sun's radiation). Therefore, it becomes all the more important to protect the skin and re-apply the sunscreen after 20 to 30 minutes.

Scrub: Ground almonds (badaam) make a good facial scrub. Soak the almonds in hot water till the skin comes out easily. Then allow them to become totally dry. Grind them into a powder, making sure to follow absolute hygiene and cleanliness. Keep this powder in an airtight jar. Every morning, add a little curd or cold milk to two teaspoons of the powder and rub the mixture gently on the skin. Wash it off with water. Mixing rice powder with curd and using it as a scrub helps people with oily skin.

Cleansing and skin lightening mask: Mix cucumber and papaya pulp with one teaspoon of curd, one teaspoon of honey, four teaspoons of oatmeal and one teaspoon of lemon juice. Apply on face and neck and wash it off after half an hour. Do this twice a week.

Moisturiser and toner: Mix two tablespoons cucumber juice, one tablespoon each of lemon juice and rose water, with one teaspoon of pure glycerine. Apply the mixture on your face and arms. Wash off after 20 minutes. This lightens your skin colour while toning and moisturising the skin.

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