FAKE BAKE talks Jodie Comer, Emmy red carpet chic and hot looks for cool nights….

It’s that time of year when you get on your new, warm PJ’s, get on the Strictly bus, and talk about who’s going into the jungle. If summer bodies are made in winter, then surely winter means January? And yet, at the same time, stores and online start to fill with evening looks. Yep, just as you are sticking your feet in fluffy socks, you are also wondering about what to put them in when party season gets here. We are trying to avoid the festive word and the other word, but you know what we mean: December-ish.

So, here at Team Fake Bake, we got a huge dose of inspo when we checked out all of the looks at the Emmy Awards. OK, so they are not as out there as the VMA’s, but we spotted stuff that was a bit more wearable. Well, if you’ve got a Tom Ford budget they are. However, as we live in times where everyone who is anyone quite likes something that won’t cost the same as a car, we are taking our style queues and trawling our fave sites to find the good hauls.

This year’s Emmys were dominated by the girls, although Billy Porter did help steal the show when he won for his role in Pose. Which we adore. Phoebe-Waller Bridge swept the board, as they say, with three wins for Fleabag.

But it was Jody Comer who really hit the headlines, the front pages and the cover of Variety for her second turn as Villanelle in Killing Eve, beating a stellar line up including her mate, Sandra Oh. She also did so in Tom Ford, and thanked her mum and dad in Liverpool, who she’d left at home as she didn’t think she’d win. She even made Gwyneth Paltrow stop in her tracks. Honestly, the words ‘fan’ and ‘girl’ don’t even cover it….

Our other best looks of the night?

Zendaya in Vera Wang. Emerald green, flowing red hair, flawless skin.

Jameela Jamil in Monique Lhullier. Warrior woman who speaks up for us all and never compromises who she is. Sweet victory.

Kerry Washington in Alexandre Vaulthier. Super-accomplished and grown up in monochrome.

Ru Paul. About to bring Drag Race to the UK. Shashay? You bet.

Emilia Clarke in Valentino. Game Of Thrones legend and SameYou founder. Smashed it.

And the beauty looks?

Kerry’s heavy fringe, chunky winged eyeliner and pink lips made retro a strong game again.

Jameela’s burnt sienna lip needed very little else. We are now definitely re-thinking getting a fringe.

Emilia’s classic look was made fresh with defined brows, and glowing, slightly bronzed skin.

Mandy Moore’s take on Cindy C is breathtaking. Highlights and bronzer? 2019 is all over it. Keep it subtle.

Jodie’s neutral and gold-toned look is heavenly. Heavy sculpting is over. Bringing out your natural beauty? In.

We asked our Global Creative Consultant James Harknett for his tips and he did more than that: check out his Insta @jamesharknettofficial for his latest tutorials. As well as looking at transitional tanning, as we move from hot to cold outside, we loved James and his take on using Fake Bake Flawless Coconut Serum as a facial tanner. If you are super-busy and already getting ready to tan all over for a night out, it’s a fresh choice.

James suggests using our Coconut fave as it has a guide colour. Mix it with a dash of your moisturiser, and use an inexpensive cosmetic sponge to mix, and you can see where you are applying your tan. James gets his whole face done in less than a minute, and we love that he is using one product to multi-task.

So if you are starting to feel the chill in the air, and are having one of those miles-away-from-summer weeks, start planning something that is all about getting your besties out and about, wearing something fabulous, that doesn’t involve anything flannel and fleecy.

Oh, and if anyone is getting on your nerves this week, look at this pic of Jodie and channel it to the max, and repeat It’s My Moment.

If winning an Emmy means acting a little more than extra, give it your best shot. And if you don’t have to be in Tom Ford to do it, either. 

Fake Bake Flawless range is available at www.fakebake.co.uk

Follow James on Insta @jamesharknettofficial

FAKE BAKE talks new accessory steals and going for boots… without giving up your tan!

So, a couple of weeks ago on the Blog we looked at all-new designer accessories. And oh, how we heart Dior. And Chanel. And repeat into infinity. Since then, we have been checking out Fashion Week heaven,  and it seems we are at one with the style universe here at Team Fake Bake. Yes, we want to wear new season finds. Agreed, that boots were made for walking. However, we love the fact that we can wear the lot and still get our tanned legs out.

IOHO (in our humble opinions, natch) we always agree that Milan is the place for off-duty glam. New York may be on point, London is about street-chic and Paris is couture glory, but it’s to Italy we turn for that ultra out-there, no-holds-barred fabulousness. So here are a few our street-inspired favourite looks from the hub of Italian glamour….

On the catwalk we have fallen for these accessory looks by Versace…..

And Moschino…

And Fendi….

And if you put the vibe together you get Kaia Gerber at her recent 18th Birthday bash. OK, so she’s super tall and thin, but you know, JLo took to the Versace catwalk and broke every model rule, and literally stole that limelight. A great shoe is a great look is a killer appearance, whatever your age, or shape or attitude.

However, as much as we love to daydream, we are also not quite at the Milan Fashion Week stage in our budgeting lives. Plus, we try not to ruin our global imprints by getting on private jets too often. Instead we are taking inspo from Milan and also our own designer picks, and then going to the place we love more than any other: the Great British High Street, which includes on-line as well as in store.

Here goes…

Swap our Dior pick for these great Pretty Little Thing black chunky lace up boots….

Change those statement Emilia Wickstead super earrings for these Zara belters….

Style swap that Dior saddle for this little black Missy Empire classic…

Go from Chanel transparent lens beauties to these steals from Kimorn at Amazon

Never mind that new Burberry clutch, River Island have got it covered….

And finally, exchange that new Chanel monochrome beret for this little Asos beauty….

Of course, whatever accessories get bumped up your list, the age of the boot is upon us, and with that comes the boot-and-beautiful -an combo, which is not always easy to achieve when you go out in a sweater and want to swap if for a bikini - yep, it’s the weird early autumn weather stage. We are taking our lead from the Milan muses, and going flawless and darker, with our Fake Bake Flawless Darker (did you see what we did there?) Not only is it super-easy to apply, it literally spritizes on exfoliated skin before bed, and you wake up with gorgeously glowing and tanned skin. Which you don’t have to go to Italy for.

In our dreams we are praying for a trip to Tamara Mellon….

But our reality means we’ll be off to Zara, who always get well stocked with killer heels and boots at the change of seasons, and stocking up on our Fake Bake Oil Free Mistifier to keep our newly tanned legs fresh and moisturised after a long hot summer.

Then we are off to live our best lives not on a Gulfstream G500 but on the bus. Come on, it’s 2019 people. Mr. Attenborough would be very proud, we hope.

All featured products available from www.fakebake.co.uk

Fashion stockists:

www.prettylittlething.com

www.zara.com

www.missyempire.com

www.amazon.co.uk

www.riverisland.com

www.asos.com

FAKE BAKE does Brunch with Glasglow Girls Club...

This week Team Fake Bake are talking Glasglow Girls Club, who we love working with and recently were a part of an event they organised here in our home town. This was all about Brunch, and obviously, a fair bit of chatting, connecting, swapping Fake Bake tanning advice with a little bit of encouragement to see us through the afternoon, including the best playlist we have ever encountered, and food and drink to live for, not die for!

The GLASGLOW GIRLS CLUB is fast becoming the most popular and quickest growing members network for women in Glasgow and the surrounding areas. Beginning life as a singular Facebook group - providing a forum for women to come together and share recommendations and advice, promote their own businesses and help each other grow and glow professionally and personally - the GGC now hosts regular business and social events and workshops and last year launched a private members website with blog, quarterly magazine and exclusive deals.

We decided to catch up with Laura Maginess, who as a marketing expert and super-blogger, to count just two of her talents, founded Glasglow Girls Club, to have a catch up about how we can all go from being exasperated to feeling inspired, and her thoughts on style and life.

What do you enjoy most about being a Girl Boss?

 Being around other girl bosses!

If you could give your young self some career advice what would it be?

Work hard and be kind.

We really enjoyed our event together recently - what are the benefit of networking events - apart from being glam and great fun, obvs?

Snap! Was chuffed to bits to have the world’s finest tanning brand sponsor the very first Rooftop Brunch Club. Growing your connections and networking can benefit all areas of life, be it business or personal. Forging new friendships and relationships can open up new and exciting opportunities.  The GGC run monthly speed networking events which are always so much fun.  For the next event (which takes place on the 25th September) Fake Bake Boss Babe Sandra Vaughan is our inspirational speaker!  If anyone fancies joining us, you can grab your tix here: https://ggcseptemberspeednetworking.eventbrite.co.uk.

We adore your signature style - who inspires you?

Thank you!  I feel like I have a style that’s all mine, I hope! If I could pick one look that has stuck with me it would be Carrie Bradshaw in Sex & The City 2 in the markets in Abu Dhabi wearing a 50’s style skirt, Dior t-shirt and heels.  If I had to wear one outfit for the rest of life it would be something similar to that (either that, or an Adidas three stripe trackie top, I have never grown out of those!)

From one style icon….

To another….

Any confidence tips for younger Fake Bake fans who are starting college, Uni or a new job?

All these milestones in life can be a nerve-wracking, but for me self-belief is the best creator of confidence.  Remember that you can do anything you set your mind to and it’s ok to change direction in life if something isn’t for you.  Enjoying what you work in or study will all help towards you being both happy and confident in what you want to achieve in life.

Finally - what’s your Fake Bake fave product of all time?

Honestly that is a really hard question because I am pretty obsessed with the entire range. If I had to pick, it would be Fake Bake Flawless Coconut Tanning Serum, it is super nourishing to the skin and creates the perfect golden glow every time.

All products are available at www.fakebake.co.uk

You can keep up with Glasglow Girls Club below:

Visit www.glasglowgirlsclub and the join the community here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/glasglowgirlsclub/

Podcast: https://soundcloud.com/glasglowgirlsclub

Insta: https://www.instagram.com/glasglowgirlsclub/

Images of Laura courtesy @charlotte.kensington - www.charlottekensington.com Images of GGC Brunch courtesy of @amandahemphillphotography - www.amandahemphillphotography.com

FAKE BAKE talks Strictly glows and why it’s a nice day for a Bright Wedding…

FAKE BAKE talks Strictly glows and why it’s a nice day for a Bright Wedding….

As we type, we know some of you stylish lot will be seeing off the end of Ibiza season in style. Us lot at Team Fake Bake? We are looking over a stylish summer, awaiting a Strictly autumn/winter, moaning about dry skin (it’s our own fault, sometimes we don’t practice what we preach!) binge watching old eps of Gavin & Stacey on the iPlayer (tidy, lush, you know the drill!) and wondering if crumpets soaked with butter have any type of nutritional value. Do they?

It’s been quite the summer, and we had a little catch up with our Global Creative Consultant and pro-tanner extraordinaire, James Harkett, who has topped off an award winning season by tanning our favourite, beautiful family.

Yep, it’s the Brights. We first fell in love with Lydia back in the early days of TOWIE, when she was a huge fan of an outlandish orange lip and an even bigger lash. My, how our gal has grown. She embraced her inner Carrie, walked out into the world on her own, and has never looked back. Now she’s always involved in something stylish, as well as being a brand ambassador and mum-to-be. WOW!

And what can we say about Debbie? She is the mum we would always love to run to in times of trouble, her TOWIE appearances were absolutely authentic and on-the-money, and she literally has a heart of gold. And the love story? After 40 years with Mark, they tied the knot accompanied by their four children. Plus, let’s not forget the hundreds of gorgeous kids they have fostered. (Lesson for us all - giving back is the new, well, everything!)

Debbie and Lydia at Josie Gibson’s Baby Shower…. we had a ball that day!

Debbie and Carol at one of our Fake Bake Summer Parties. Love that they show us so much love!

Meet The Brights...

James told us, “I had already completed over 300 hundred wedding tans this season, and have been so busy professionally. But, of course, when I got the call about the Bright Wedding, I couldn’t get there quickly enough. They are such a lovely, humble, close-knit family and I felt truly honoured to be a part of their story.

I love that everyone got involved - including the boys! I have been talking a lot recently about how male clients are turning up in droves to get a pro Fake Bake tan, although I think for Mark, Debbie’s groom, it was probably a new beauty treat for him!

They looked wonderful on the day, and of course, Lydia is absolutely glowing at the moment, too. All eyes were on Debbie, though, and she went for elegant and streamlined when it came to her dress.

Tanning more than one client for a big event means you have to be prepared for all eventualities - gone are the days of turning up with one type of solution! Everyone is clued up about bespoke tanning now, and of course because of my role, I am a perfectionist and want to make sure everyone has a Fake Bake tan that suits them. Weddings tend to be quite subtle affairs but so I tend to stick to more natural formulas, and I do tell everyone in advance to get using their Fake Bake Coconut Body Polish.

Both Debbie and Lydia have been so supportive of Fake Bake as a brand over the years, so it just felt right to be there for them on their big day. And it did feel like a whole family affair, and was packed full of joy. And the tans? Well, they looked spectacular: it was a real day to remember.”

Well done to James on his recent Time Out London Award. Truly deserved.

Just after we had finished poring over all the wedding images, we tucked ourselves up for the Strictly Come Dancing launch show. We are a teeny big gutted that Jamie Laing won’t make the live shows, and we hope he will be back next year. But we had plenty to cheer for as two of our favourite mates are going to be on screen, every weekend, we hope from now until Blackpool, at least, and beyond...

We first got to know Catherine Tyldesley as Eva, the siren of Coronation Street’s cobbles. But after Cath left Eva, her pink handbags and hair extensions behind, she has become a bit of a fashion icon and has had the makeover, or should we say makeunder, from heaven. Still gorge and glowing at all times, our Auntie Cath has walked onto the set of Strictly and right into the arms of Johannes Radebe. Not that we are or remotely jealous or anything.

A Fake Bake client and all round fabulous, feisty gal, she’s our Northern Star who is about to hit more sequins and glamour than Eva could have ever dreamed of. Bring on the godets. (Someone on the team is obsessed with Strictly Takes Two and the costume fittings. Now that Rylan’s on it, we are not going to get any work out of her until 2020….!)

Saffron Barker, our favourite You Tube sensation, has hit the Strictly jackpot by being teamed up with AJ. Now, we think it could be AJ’s year as he is a thunderbolt on the dancefloor. Saffron has been such a great part of our story this summer, as she came with us to Ibiza, and cheekily got Instagram buzzing with her pics with Jake Jamie.

As for us, well, we are hoping for a belter of a season. We are already missing DB’s elegance, but new judge Motsi is already winning our hearts. Tess is ever the perfectionist, and Claudia is simply as Claudia as ever.

In the meantime, we are putting jam on our crumpets, as jam is fruit and that counts as part of our five-a-day, doesn’t it? And when we can get out of these twinsets, we are going for it with the Body Polish, and treating ourselves to a pro Fake Bake tan.

Go Darker or go home. Dem’s da Strictly rules, if you want a 10, pale with you get you no points on the paddle.

Welcome to the new season. Be prepared, and bring carbs.

For all info about Fake Bake pro tanning and products go to www.fakebake.co.uk

Follow James Harknett on Insta @jamesharknettofficial

Other images courtesy of @auntiecath17 @saffronbarker

Strictly Come Dancing will be showing every weekend on BBC1 and will be followed weeknights on BBC2 Monday to Friday with Strictly Takes Two