Arran Aromatics founder Janet Russell shares her top tips

We caught up with Janet Russell, founder of QVC's new brand Arran Aromatics, who spoke to us about the magic behind this range and revealed some of her top tips for feeling good...

Tell us about the story behind Arran Aromatics

For five generations the magical Isle of Arran has been our home and inspiration. With its rugged Highland hills and the warm waters of the Gulf stream it gives us the perfect environment from which naturally stems an abundance of pure ingredients.

L'Occitane expert Alexis answers your beauty questions

Hi everyone, Alexis here,

I want to say a big thank you to all of you who sent in your questions to me. I'm going to be on QVC on Sunday 7th November so be sure to tune in for some more of my top beauty tips.

For now, I have selected some of your questions to answer which you will see in QGossip throughout the week. Here are the first few...

Do you have a facial regime within the L'Occitane range that uses exfoliators and rich creams for dry and mature skin? Jody

Dear Jody, we have a wide skincare range for all skin types and needs. Immortelle Skincare is our anti ageing range. It offers a slightly richer day cream moisturiser, called Immortelle Precious Cream. In this range we also have a fantastic Immortelle Cream mask which is rich and luxurious and can be used twice a week.

Our Shea Butter skincare range also features rich moisturisers, but if you want to tackle the signs of ageing too then I believe that Immortelle Skincare would be the best option for you.

Our boutiques have qualified skincare consultants who can help you to find your perfect moisturiser, so please do not hesitate to come and visit us in your nearest L’Occitane boutique. Kind regards, Alexis.

Brand-new beauty range from Linda Papadopoulos

Linda Papadopoulos is a popular celebrity psychologist, well-known for her appearances on morning chat shows, Loose Women, Big Brother and Celebrity Fit Club.

With an avid interest in beauty and both looking and feeling great, she's launching her new beauty range Psy Derma and we're lucky enough to have it on QVC! We spoke to Linda to see what it was all about...

Describe your new range in three words

Unique, effective, ground-breaking and luxurious (oops, I know that’s four but I couldn't fit it all into three)!

Share your top three skincare secrets

1. Make time for yourself - this is important both for the well-being of your skin and your mind.
2. Learn how to look in the mirror - you'll feel a lot better about yourself if you focus on things that you like rather than on things that you don't.
3. Don't see skincare as a chore, see it as a treat.

Tova replies to customers about her signature fragrance

Dear everyone,

I want to assure those of you who have written comments about changes to the Tova Signature fragrance. This fragrance is as close to me as it is to all of you. It has my name on it and so the integrity of it is equally important to me. Neither the formula nor the fragrance has changed at all, that I can tell you with confidence.

When I celebrated the fragrance's 25th Anniversary I introduced a new art  deco bottle. The original had a frosted, opaque finish and the new one is completely transparent. With a new bottle, it's easy to perceive the fragrance differently. It's like eating ice cream from a bowl you don't usually eat it from - you think it tastes differently!

Get Sarah Chapman's celebrity skincare tips

High-profile beauty expert Sarah Chapman is introducing her new beauty range to QVC, and we can't wait to check it out! Sarah regularly contributes to glossy magazines like Vogue and appears on TV, most recently Channel 4's 'Ten years younger', plus she has her own clinic so she's a real source of knowledge.

Sarah's launching her new beauty range at QVC this Sunday and we caught up with her during the week to pick up some beauty tips...

What do you enjoy most about being a beauty expert?

I love the challenge. It's really rewarding when clients get satisfaction and happiness with their skin’s improvement and you really can change the way they feel about themselves.

I also enjoy researching different aspects of beauty, working with the media on news stories, and writing advice columns on latest treatments and products.

Ask Alexis from L'Occitane your beauty questions

Calling all beauty fans, here's your chance to have your beauty questions answered by our L'Occitane expert, Alexis.

Whatever your skin type, whatever your dilemma - all you have to do is post up your beauty question. Ten lucky commenters will be picked and answers from Alexis will be posted up soon. Good luck!

The results of our Beauty Day competition

Thanks to everyone who voted in our Beauty Day competition - we had a fantastic response. The answer to 'What is Julia Roberts' favourite beauty item?' is B, Decleor Hand Cream.

The winner of all our presenters' beauty items is Mrs Marian Smyth from Lisburn, so a big congrats to you!

Our presenters reveal their beauty picks

Want to know which beauty product Julia wouldn't be without? Or what gives Pipa her gorgeous glow?

We caught up with some of our presenters to discover their favourite beauty products and what they love about them.

Julia loves...

Decleor 250ml Hand Cream - 225196

"I have this hand cream all over my home, I wouldn’t be without it. I’ve been using it for over 4 years and believe that it has made a big difference to the look and feel of my hands."

Alison Young's top beauty tips for autumn and winter

Want to know what's hot and what's not in beauty this season?

Check out Alison Young's Beauty Bible for the latest beauty trends and advice on how to achieve this season's make-up look.

Find out beauty expert Mario De Luigi's top make-up tips

Here at QGossip we're always on the look out for new make-up tips and beauty trends, so we leapt at the chance to meet with Mario De Luigi, who has over 20 years of experience as a make-up artist and beauty trend-spotter.

What are your top three tips for applying make-up?

1. I believe that your make-up look cannot be perfect if the canvas is not perfect, so you must apply foundation before applying any colour.

2. A black eye pencil, mascara and an eyebrow pencil are the essential tools to quickly enhancing the shape, size and colour of your eyes while keeping them looking natural.

3. Before applying your lipgloss, take a nude lip pencil and blend it all over the lips. This will give you a more even colour and make the gloss last longer.

Glen fills us in on all the gossip from the Comfort Prima Awards

Hi there,

I went to the Comfort Prima High Street Fashion Awards last Thursday and thought I'd fill you in on all the gossip. It took place in London's Battersea Park and it was certainly an evening full of glitz and glamour!

QVC was the official hair and beauty sponsors with Leighton Denny on hand to take care of nails, Louise Galvin in charge of hair and Sue Devitt was the make-up guru! They all did a great job providing the finishing touches to the models and pampering the guests.

Gossip from the Comfort Prima high street fashion awards 2008

Here's a little beauty news for you! The Comfort Prima high street fashion awards took place last Thursday and our very own Alison Young took part, giving make-overs to four of the finalists for Prima's Best of British awards.

Prima readers voted for the model they thought had the most glamorous look and the winner was Angela, so a big congrats to her! Take a look all four finalists by clicking on these pages from Prima magazine.

One thousand people attended these stylish fashion awards celebs we spotted included Big Brother contestants, Tim Vincent, The Cheeky Girls and our own star Glen Campbell, who presented an award.

 

Charlie Brook reveals his desert island beauty essentials

Hi everyone, Charlie here,

Just to let you know that you can read all about my desert island beauty essentials in Alison's Beauty Bible.

Your own skincare tips and advice are very welcome so be sure to post a comment!

Love,

Charlie x

Watch QVC Beauty - our new beauty channel on Sky

We've got a treat for all you beauty lovers out there. You'll never have to miss your favourite beauty shows on QVC again because now you can watch them whenever you want on our brand new channel - QVC Beauty.

Showing 24/7, you'll be able to catch clips of beauty products from favourites including Liz Earle, Decleor and Elemis, as well as themed shows like In the Salon with Alison. With new shows every day, make sure you tune in regularly to see what's on.

The channel is only available to those of you with Sky, and you can find it by pressing the Red button on your remote, going to QVC Multiscreen and selecting QVC Beauty. When you spot something you like, you can buy it easily, just by pressing the Yellow button.

We love it!

P.S. If you like QVC Beauty, then check out Alison Young's Beauty Bible.

Craig Rowe reveals his skincare routine

Hi everyone, Craig here,

It's now my turn to share with you my personal skincare routine.

You can read about my favourite skincare products in Alison Young's Beauty Bible.

Enjoy!

Love Craig x

Fiona Brackenbury from Decleor answers your skincare questions

Hi, Fiona here,

You may have already seen a couple of my answers to your skincare questions. I won't tease you anymore... here are the rest so read on to discover if your own question has been answered!

Love Fiona x

Alison Young asks Anthony Heywood about his skincare routine

Alison Young is on a quest to discover what skincare products our male presenters like to use. Last week she asked Simon Biagi, this week she caught up with Anthony Heywood...

Read about Anthony's skincare routine in Alison Young's Beauty Bible to discover his favourite beauty products.

Decleor's Fiona Brackenbury answers your skincare questions

Hi, Alison here,

Here are the first few answers to your skincare questions from Decleor expert Fiona Brackenbury! There are a lot of Decleor fans among you and there was a fantastic response so thank you very much!

Check back in QGossip to find out if your skincare dilemma has been solved...

Love Alison x

Alison Young asks Simon Biagi: What's your beauty routine?

"Who says real men don't do skincare?" says Simon Biagi in his interview with Alison Young.

Read his men's beauty interview in Alison Young's Beauty Bible to find out which beauty products he loves to use.

Have a peek inside Jilly Halliday's make-up bag!

Hi everyone,

I don't tend to keep much in my make-up bag as I hardly wear any make-up when I'm not on camera. However, I do have a make-up box that I carry in the boot of my car which probably has every make-up product we sell in it!

My three make-up bag essentials

1. Pupa lip gloss for a little shimmer 

2. Laura Geller bronzer 

3. Bare Escentuals brush-on foundation - I put on just a little as I'm running out the door!   

I guess you could say that I like the natural look!

Love Jilly x

Take a peek in Claudia Sylvester's make-up bag and get her look!

Hi everyone,

I've never thought about listing the contents of my make-up bag before but now I have I realise how much I keep in there! Thankfully I always make sure everything is nice and clean - I carry wetwipes with me all the time and I often use them to clean up my brushes and lids.

You'll notice I've got no mascara in my bag because I've lost it somewhere and I think it's a really strange thing to lose! A lipstick yes, but to mislay my mascara is just weird. I must get a new one... It's going on my shopping list straightaway!

Coming soon: Beauty solutions from Decleor expert Fiona Brackenbury

Thanks to everyone for sending in their queries for our Decleor expert, Fiona Brackenbury - we've got plenty of questions to ask her now!

Be sure to check next week to see if your beauty dilemma has been solved.

In the meantime, check out the Beauty Bible for answers from salon expert Alison Young...

Pipa Vanderburg reveals what's in her make-up bag...

Hi everyone,

My make-up bag is ever-changing but here are a few of my beauty essentials...

1. Sue Devitt Silky Eyeshadow in amber - it's a sparkly red colour that looks fab on the eyes.

2. An under-eye concealer - it works wonders!

3. Bare Escentuals Buxom Lips lip glosses - they are a real essential. 

4. Bobbi Brown tinted balm

5. Bobbi Brown eyeshadow in Bone found in the Bobbi Brown Lip & Eye Basic Palette

6. Mario De Luigi black mascara - another classic!

And the list continues..! I'd be useless on a desert island!

Love Pipa x

Alison Young solves your latest beauty dilemmas

We caught up with our industry expert Alison Young to ask her the latest beauty dilemmas posted by you. If your question wasn't answered this time, don't worry - there'll be more beauty solutions coming very soon. You can also check out Alison Young's Beauty Bible for more beauty solutions.

I have very dry patches on the palms of my hands and wondered if you could suggest a good hand cream for me.

Alison: Dry patches on the palms of your hands can often be like a contact sensitivity. So make sure they aren't itchy, red or weeping. If they are, you may need something from your doctor to help calm it down. Be aware if there's anything stinging or causing it to flake more - such as shampoo, hand cream, washing-up liquid etc. To get rid of the dead skin cells, you should use either Crabtree & Evelyn La Source Hand Care Kit or the Nails Inc Ultimate Hand Micro Dermabrasion Duo. Because of the sensitivity, I would like you to use L'Occitane Shea Butter Body Cream and rub it in like a balm. This is pure shea butter which will help the sensitivity - you don't want essential oils on it yet. Once it feels softer and smoother, then on a long term basis use the L'Occitane Handcream Duo all over your hands.

Claudia Sylvester chats about her summer holidays

Hello! Hope you're enjoying the summer!

This is a pic of my daughter Bella and I on holiday in Cyprus recently. We had such a lovely time.

Before the holiday
I love going on family holidays. Before I go I always get a spray tan at my local salon so I'm not too pale. That way I'm not tempted to sunbathe, not that I get much chance with three active children! I'm always on the move - swimming, chasing them along the beach, going on treasure hunts.

New! Alison Young's Beauty Bible

Ever wished you had beauty expert Alison Young on speed dial? Well, her new beauty bible is the next best thing!

It's packed full of her skincare and make-up advice and - here's the genius bit - it lets you search by beauty problem. Dry skin, blackheads, puffy eyes?  Alison serves up salon-savvy solutions to suit most needs. Plus, new advice from Alison will be added regularly so its always worth a weekly once over.

It may be Alison's but we like it so much we're making it our beauty bible too!

Take A Break mag loves Liz Earle his & hers kit

Sick of him 'borrowing' your moisturiser? It may be time to start buying unisex products: that's the message from Take A Break magazine this week...

And they think that Liz Earle's His & Hers Collection is the perfect summer travel companion for both of you.

Read the Take A Break magazine feature by clicking on the image

Buy Liz Earle's His & Hers Collection

Go to Take A Break magazine

Claudia Sylvester: Where I like to go for a real treat...

Hi everyone,

I just wanted to share with you one of my favourite places to go to for a pampering treat: Stoke Park Club Spa. It's one of the top 100 spas in the world and is a hot spot for celebrities too - from Daniel Craig to the whole of the England soccer team!

The good news is that they're launching a brand new range of natural spa beauty products - called the Stoke Park Collection - which I'm really excited about and I know you'll love too! It's coming soon to QVC, and you just have to try it!

Stoke Park Club - my second home
My husband Steve and I are members of this family-run club and are always treated like extended family. We play a lot of golf there and I use the spa for ultimate pampering! Like me, the club supports Breast Cancer Care and has done for four years. I'm often approached by other members of the club when I'm there who happen to be avid QVC viewers, which is always really nice.

Alison Young answers your beauty questions

Is your hair limp, your skin a little dull, or perhaps you're just looking for the right make-up shade? Alison Young, our industry expert, is here to answer your beauty questions. This is her latest advice...

Im 27 and I suffer from breakouts of blackheads. I would say that my skin type is dry to sensitive. What products would you recommend? (From Joanne Patterson)

I'm worried that you may have over-stripped or over-dried your skin with potent or dramatic action products. They give short term results but spotty skin will always come back if you're over harsh to it. Decleor products are perfect for you. There's the Decleor Oily/ Combination Cleansing collection, which is a face wash cleanser and toner, and then the Decleor Aromessence Ylang Ylang face oil . You could use this Ylang Ylang face oil with the Decleor Hydra Floral Anti-Pollution cream. This routine will give you hydration as well as help to control your breakouts. Don't use too many masks or exfoliants on your skin, just let it balance for a while. But if you want to use one, I recommend the Elemis Herbal Lavender Repair Mask once every ten days; it can be put directly onto spots overnight.

Perfect Wedding magazine: summer skin with Global Goddess

Warm weather is just around the corner (fingers crossed), so it's time to warm up your skin tone. Perfect Wedding love Global Goddess Glow South Pacific Shimmer - a bronzer that gives you a sexy shimmer on your wedding day, or even if you're just popping to the shops.

'This is one of the best products we've come across - it gives an all-over healthy appearance with just the right amount of sparkle and shimmer. It's perfect for everyday use on the face, but it's also great for cleavage on a night out.' 

So says Perfect Wedding magazine and we happen to agree!

Interview with Lulu

We caught up with Lulu to chat about men, music and her Time Bomb range…

Who are your dream dinner guests?

Elton John - he's funny, well informed and a great gossip! His partner David is also great, he's very charming and a wonderful party guest. I'd also invite Barack Obama as I would love to have a chat with him. But I'm a girl's girl, so I would invite my friend Susannah Constantine (from Trinny and Susannah), my sister and my nieces.

What qualities do you look for in a man?

A sense of humour is very important. I like sophisticated men, someone that's well travelled and can keep up a conversation. I like men who enjoy the arts. Oh and he's got to be able to dance - the Salsa!

What are your three desert island essentials?

My Time Bomb Survival Kit, water and an umbrella.

Countdown to the CEW Beauty Awards

We can't resist an awards ceremony - especially when QVC products are up for prizes. The CEW Beauty Awards have been causing a buzz this week and tonight we'll find out who went home with a coveted crystal trophy.

We're particularly excited about new QVC brands like Eve Lom - have you checked out their new cleanser yet? And another award favourite we're keeping our fingers crossed for is Elemis, nominated for lots of awards.

The CEW Awards are voted for by people in-the-know, including beauty editors from some of our favourite glossy magazines.

Catch our CEW Beauty Awards show at 8pm tonight (Tuesday 22nd April).

Browse award-nominated products

Alison Young is excited about Beauty Day!

I'm getting excited about Beauty Day on Saturday. We're focusing on award winners, so it's a celebration of what QVC always does best which is cherry-picking the very best formulas.

Recently these formulas have been winning worldwide awards from magazines, trade press and newspapers. Whether they're chosen by other professionals or customers, hundreds of the award winners are sold at QVC.

Some of our long-standing guests will be joining us to celebrate their existing product ranges including Liz Earle, Fiona from Decleor and Lee from Philosophy, as well as guests you may have not met, such as Rebecca Korner, the founder of Korner Skincare which has won a massive anti-ageing award.

So join me on Saturday 19^th April for a day of pampering!

Alison xx

Alison Young answers your beauty questions

Is your hair limp, your skin a little dull, or perhaps you're just looking for the right make-up shade? Alison Young, our industry expert, is here to answer your beauty questions. This is her latest advice…

I am 38 years old, fair skinned and have quite bad dark circles and puffiness under the eyes. I have tried numerous products that over the years have cost a fortune. What brand can you recommend?

If you've got an eye cream that you're happy with you can add Elemis Absolute Eye Serum underneath it to increase potential results. If you don't have an eye cream then Clientele Elastology Eye Science is an all-in-one which contains unusual ingredients such as copper extract. Make sure that you're not trying to fight a lack of sleep or water with a product, so increase water intake by drinking 2.5 litres a day and get eight hours of sleep - even if it means napping.

Read more of Alison's advice...

Perfect Wedding magazine: tone those arms with Jill Franks

Our health and fitness expert Jill Franks, has been offering her advice to brides-to-be. She appears in April's edition of Perfect Wedding with great tips for sorting out those 'bingo wings'.

Here's a sneak peek at Jill's expert advice:

"Q I am very self-conscious about my upper arms, which I feel are starting to resemble 'bingo wings'. I don't want to end up with a long-sleeved dress, so what can I do to improve their appearance?

A You have plenty of time to say goodbye to your bingo wings. Focus on the upper arms using weights to your capability. Ensure you can start and finish one repetition with a full movement. For leaner arms do three sets of 12 - 15 reps. Resistance bands can be used if you prefer and also get great results.

The Pilates magic circle is another option that creates a very simple workout for all the muscles in the upper arm. Press-ups and punch bags are great too. Even carrying your shopping with a bend in the elbow works."

Find fitness equipment at qvcuk.com

Julia Roberts: I can't fit my beauty products in my new bathroom!

Hi,

I just thought I'd tell you about the DIY work I've been doing recently. We've been re-doing our bedroom and bathroom so I've not only had the paintbrush in hand, but the drill too! I've even managed to stick to my budget.

There's only one problem; I ordered extra bathroom cupboards for my beauty products, but I can still only fit in half my stuff. I've had to put the rest in a small trunk and a picnic basket. I use all the products though - I rotate them so if I'm going on holiday I'll use Decleor for awhile and then I might use Elemis for a couple of months.

Julia

Go to qvcuk.com

woman&home fashion show update

It's not too late to get tickets for the woman&home fashion show and now there's even more reason to step out at this glam event. Nails Inc and MOP have just confirmed that they will be doing the models hair and nails, joining Prescriptives beauty on the day.

You'll also have the chance to meet beauty expert Alison Young, who will be on hand to offer advice and help you try out the ranges.

So join us for a fantastic event filled with new-season fashion and lots of champagne!

Find tickets

Go to QVCUK.com

Kathy Tayler: looking after my nails

Hi everyone. Just thought I'd let you know how I'm getting on with my new year's resolution to take better care of my nails. I had a manicure last week!

Obviously the state of my hands and nails is important when the camera goes really close up. I'm dreading when we start transmitting in HD! It's not just going to be my nails then, it's going to be everything all in glorious Technicolor for everyone to see!

My top nailcare tips at the moment? If you haven't tried it, OPI Nail Envy is a brilliant clear nail varnish. For me it's great - I don't need to identify what the problem is because it works for all my nail problems.

I'm also going to be good and spend a minute every evening putting OPI cuticle oil on.

It's funny because all these beauty products can be really good but you do have to remember use them!

It will be an ongoing project so wish me luck,

Love

Kathy x

Smashbox O Glow back in stock!

Back in November we told you about Smashbox's O Glow, a product that magazines across the country are raving about. Well it's back in stock! Get in quick and try innovative product.

See "Magazines love Smashbox O Glow" article

Go to QVCUK.com

See QVC at the Woman & Home fashion and beauty show

Woman & Home magazine's annual fashion and beauty show is almost here. Some of the biggest fashion brands, such as Harrods and House of Fraser will be showcasing their new season designs and QVC Beauty will be there too.

Visit Woman & Home to get tickets to this fabulous event and the champagne reception - a great day out with the girls.

Go to QVCUK.com