Love, Tanya

by Tanya Burr

  Position your tools and arms on a flat surface and start by removing any previously applied nail polish. An acetone-based nail-polish remover is a bit harsher than non-acetone removers, but the acetone removers get the job done faster.

  Then clip your nails and gently file them (in one direction) into whatever shape you prefer. Most people opt for a gently round or square shape or somewhere in between. Finish by buffing the sides and tops of your nails to give you an even surface.

  Ahh… and relax! Place your hands in a bowl of warm water and add some cleanser to gently clean, while you put your feet up for a few minutes. Dry your hands then soften the cuticle with oil and gently push the cuticles back.

  Many people now trim their cuticles but there is a lot of room to go wrong and over-cutting is a bad idea because the cuticle helps to protect the nail bed from bacteria. Trim the free edges and be very gentle.

  Exfoliate and moisturise your hands all over into the nails and cuticles and if you want, give yourself a lovely hand massage while you are doing it. Finish by swiping each nail with nail polish remover.

  Paint the nail in coats, starting with the base coat, followed by two coats of colour and then a top coat to add shine. If you’re new to painting your own nails use lighter shades of polish because mistakes are less noticeable.

  Clean up any mistakes and voilà! Now wait for the polish to dry; I always find that getting immersed in an episode of one of my favourite TV shows is a good distraction!

  MY TOP 10

  NAIL TIPS

  1. ALWAYS MOISTURISE

  Moisturise your hands and nails as much as the rest of your body, so you keep the skin hydrated and soft. This will also reduce hangnails, rough cuticles and brittle nails.

  2. USE CUTICLE OIL

  Always use a cuticle oil to provide moisture for softer and supple cuticles. I also use it every night before I go to bed and keep it on my bedside table (with my Eight Hour Cream!) to remind myself.

  3. HAVE A CLEAN SURFACE

  Always have a super-clean surface for painting. Any trace of dust or leftover polish will keep the new nail polish from sticking. The easiest thing to do is before painting, wipe nails with a cotton ball soaked in nail polish remover because this will also remove traces of any lotion.

  4. REMEMBER YOUR BASE COAT AND TOP COAT

  Use a base coat to give the polish something to latch on to and, after painting, seal the colour with a slow-setting top coat. This will leave a harder, more protective finish so your colour will stay on for longer.

  5. PAINT WITH CARE

  When applying your polish, do it with three narrow and even strokes, one down the middle and one down each side of the nail. Then wait a few minutes and apply a second coat. Try to use sparingly; the thicker the layer of polish, the more likely it is to be uneven.

  6. EXPRESS YOUR INDIVIDUALITY

  When it comes to colour for everyday wear, choose something that you like and which expresses how you are feeling – anything that makes you feel fabulous!

  7. KEEP NAILS STRONG

  Avoid filing nails as soon as you get out of the shower because they will be more susceptible to breaking.

  8. FOR TOES TOO

  All the tips for manicures apply to pedicures. Remember to pay close attention to your tootsies and give yourself a regular DIY pedicure.

  9. USE GLOVES

  After a manicure, always wear rubber gloves to do the washing up because soapy suds will wreak havoc on your beautiful nails.

  10. STORE WELL

  Always store your nail polishes in a cool, dry place and away from sunlight, as this can leave them discoloured. If you can, keep the bottles stored in an upright position because if they lie sideways it is harder to shake the pigments back together.

  I’ve always loved dressing up. I think there is something really wonderful about being able to grab a few items from your wardrobe, put them on, stand in front of the mirror and feel like a completely new person. Fashion is a great way of expressing our personalities and using our imaginations. Personally, I find myself really inspired by girls and women walking down the street. Rather than stare at good-looking guys as they wander past, Jim is always pointing out that I am always studying girls! I’m never afraid to ask where someone bought their skirt, shoes or coat, so can often be found chasing after unsuspecting girls. Living in London, the fashions are so eclectic and so many people have such great style. In fact, I would be very happy just to sit with a Starbucks latte and people-watch for hours!

  Dad made me a pretty pink cotton dress when I was one and my love of fashion just snowballed from there. I adored all the items he would bring back from car boot sales and I loved the constant dressing up. I even insisted on having my ears pierced when I was five! Mum felt so bad about it, my dad took me to have them done. I took great pleasure in trying on my mum’s wedding dress and her shoes and apparently I always used to notice what family and friends were wearing and if they had new outfits on.

  I’ve never really stuck to the rules. Growing up, my dad did a lot of gardening and we would all help out, including the children my mum looked after and, like now, style always won over practicality. I remember one digging session, where I styled myself with a cute little handbag and a floppy 70s hat for the occasion! Mum says a lot of my clothes when I was little were hand-me-downs from friends and cousins and I would often end up with quite a few party dresses because they were always in good condition. As a child I always loved getting dressed and used to change my outfit ten times a day. Another favourite pastime when I was small was dressing up all my friends and then making them parade down the stairs, like it was the catwalk, while I commentated on the clothes they were wearing.

  When I was a teenager, I loved being able to buy my own clothes. My job at Starbucks really came about because I always wanted the latest things. Starbucks was right next to Topshop and I used to go there on my lunch break and try things on. I could only put things on hold for three days, but I used to keep putting whatever it was back on hold again and again until payday when I would rush in and pick the items up. If I saw something I really loved, I would work every shift I could so I could afford to buy it!

  There have been a few personal fashion highlights from the past few years. I never normally work with stylists but in the last couple of years, I have been lucky enough to be dressed by some designers. Last year Burberry dressed me for the Noah premiere, which was a dream come true. I worked with one of their top stylists, Kay Ganesh, who helped me to step out of my comfort zone, and I wore a stunning sky-blue satin-backed crêpe dress. I have also done a shoot with Mulberry, when they have dressed me and Jim and I starred in a ‘A Day In The Life Feature’ for Mulberry.com. Going to London Fashion Week is always such a brilliant experience and has given me a real insight into the world of designer fashion in general. As well as seeing the latest fashions being modelled on the catwalk, I love looking at what the guests are wearing, who is sitting on the front row and how they mix pieces together.

  Sometimes it can be quite nerve-wracking if I’m sitting on the front row because I know that other people will be examining what I’m wearing, but I think I’ve got braver and more experimental with my choices more recently. I’ve started having more fun and taking risks.

  While I’m passionate about clothes, I don’t consider myself a fashion expert, but since my YouTube videos have become more popular and I’ve got more involved with fashion brands, I feel like I’m learning more and more and hope to share some of what I have picked up with you.

  DRESSING FOR YOUR BODY TYPE

  Fashion is all about dressing for your body. If you know your body type, then you should be able to find clothes that flatter your shape and look fabulous. Body shape is all about proportion and helping to make your proportions look their very best. Never focus on height or weight but instead think about shape and silhouette. This is crucial for self-confidence. Knowing you have chosen clothes that showcase your body in the best possible light,
you can relax and enjoy yourself!

  I didn’t realise that I had a waist until three years ago. I just thought I had chubby legs and short arms, while my friends had gorgeous long slim arms and legs. My staple outfit was big jumpers and Topshop skinny jeans and if I wanted a slightly smarter look, I would buy slightly more expensive jumpers! I hated having full-length pictures taken and never felt particularly comfortable with my choices. But I would never leave the house in this outfit these days because I now know it doesn’t flatter my shape at all. It was a trip to see a personal shopper that made me realise what clothes suited my hourglass shape best, like pretty dresses with nipped-in waists and high-waisted skirts that showed off my narrowest point and skimmed across my hips and thighs. By wearing clothes that hugged my figure and my waist, I looked like I had a lost a stone.

  Each one of us is unique and our bodies are too, but the main categories I’m going to cover are petite, pear, apple, hourglass and rectangle. You might clearly be one shape or you might be a blend of two or more categories. I’m a blend of pear and hourglass.

  One way of finding ideas for how to dress for your shape is to find a celebrity, or someone who inspires you, who has a similar shape to you. See what they are wearing and what styles of clothes you think look good on them and then study your own wardrobe to see if you have anything similar.

  PEAR

  You have a pear-shape if your lower body is wider than your upper body, so if your hips are wider than your shoulders, you fall into this category.

  Accentuate your top half with pretty patterned tops or by wearing a statement necklace.

  In winter, make use of jackets. A longer jacket that ends past the hip will give the impression of a long, lean line.

  Choose heavier materials that flatter and streamline your shape.

  Plunging necklines will help to elongate your upper body and draw attention upwards.

  HOURGLASS

  Hourglass girls are known for their curves and have bigger boobs and bottoms but much slimmer waists.

  Wear well fitting underwear because this will give you the best support and accentuate your curves to the max.

  Always choose fitted clothing. Since hourglass girls have well-defined waists, draw attention to this feature with a belt, high-waisted skirt, or top or jacket with a fitted waist.

  Avoid baggy or boxy clothing (like I used to wear) because this will just hide your curvy shape and little waist. Show your figure off to the max!

  Choose lightweight fabrics like cotton and silk because they tend to glide over your curves and flatter your shape.

  Low, slimming necklines will be most flattering and will balance out your figure.

  APPLE

  An apple-shaped girl’s best assets are her legs. She will have a small bottom and more weight around her torso and arms.

  Keep the clothing line straight to slightly fitted but wear soft and lightweight fabrics, to avoid unnecessary bulk around your top half.

  To draw attention to your legs and bum, wear shorter clothing on the bottom half and keep to bright and light colours on your lower body.

  High-waisted skirts and trousers will give the appearance of a waist, as will tops that are wraparounds or have ruching or a tie around the waist.

  Avoid high necklaces because they can make your upper body appear even more out of proportion.

  Choose single-breasted or V-neck jackets to give the illusion of a smaller, longer upper body.

  PETITE

  Petite girls are little more than five feet and have smaller proportions than average.

  Avoid wearing tops with horizontal lines because they tend to make you look wider and shorter than you really are. Large patterns can also be overpowering. Instead, choose clothes with vertical stripes, vertical seams, vertical pleats, and long lapels to help elongate your shape and make you appear taller.

  Choose tops with three-quarter length sleeves and V or scoop necklines to help elongate your silhouette.

  The easiest way to add height is by wearing a heel, but avoid any with ankle straps because these will thicken your legs and make you appear short.

  Avoid oversized bags or accessories because these will overwhelm your petite frame.

  Monochrome looks are great for petite girls because they help elongate your appearance.

  RECTANGLE

  Rectangle girls have waist, hip and shoulder widths which are similar and are usually on the slim side. Slender rectangles tend to look quite athletic.

  Softly structured jackets can gently shape the waist and coats that belt at the waist have the same affect.

  Use strong blocks of colour to help define your features.

  Layering adds more dimension and definition to a simple rectangle body shape.

  It’s essential to have good-fitting underwear because this will make the most of the curves you have.

  Almost all kinds of trousers will look good on you, except boyfriend-style or baggy jeans.

  WHERE TO SHOP

  Starting with the high street, where the brands are simply amazing; I have always bought my clothes from high street shops like Topshop, Miss Selfridge, River Island and French Connection. I build my wardrobe around great high street staples, such as trousers, skirts, dresses and jumpers, and then throw in the odd designer item or pair of shoes to mix up my look. The high street is great for so many things: Topshop is fab for most stuff, River Island does brilliant jeans that never lose their shape and last for ages, Primark is great for vest tops, and I find Zara is the best place to go if I’m looking for individual items. It’s worth noting that there are always designer imitations on the high street, so if you see something you love on the catwalk or being worn by a celebrity, it will invariably turn up on the high street ten times cheaper fairly quickly. Often designers pair up with high street stores and some recent collaborations include Alexander Wang for H&M, Marques’ Almeida for Topshop and Mary Katrantzou for adidas. Sometimes these collections contain some real gems.

  I’ve also found some great items at supermarkets’ clothing concessions and they have clearly upped their game over the past few years. Don’t always think that because something is cheap that it won’t look good. I think you can pick up some real bargains at the supermarket and because you’re not spending a fortune, if you wear something just a few times, there is no need to feel guilty! Last summer I had a smock denim dress from George at Asda that I lived in. The quality of this dress felt great and I washed it every other day and it kept its colour and shape. All my favourite pyjamas come from F&F at Tesco.

  I also love shopping online at sites like ASOS. If I have a free day at home and I’m really exhausted and lying on the sofa with a mug of tea, I love browsing online. On many online shopping sites, once you’ve ordered over a certain amount, most of the time delivery is free and so are returns, so if you find shopping stressful or hate getting undressed in changing rooms, this is a great option. It also means there is no queuing, no massive shopping bags and no sore feet! Just don’t do what I do sometimes and go impulse shopping and then have a big surprise when it all turns up and you have to send it back!

  The other place I shop is in vintage or charity shops. I really got into shopping for older items when I was about sixteen and I found that I could pick up some really interesting vintage jewellery, leather bags and shoes that had barely been worn for hardly anything. One of my favourite looks was pairing second-hand floral granny skirts with belts and a Topshop white T-shirt. Sometimes these shops are packed to the brim and can feel a bit overwhelming but my advice is to not feel intimidated. The best tactic is to get stuck in; you can really uncover some treasures if you look carefully enough. It’s also great to customise items from charity shops or learn to mix and match with old clothes, because they are normally really cheap and even if you only wear them a few times it doesn’t matter. Also, another big bonus when you wear vintage clothing is that you know no one will be wearing the same outfit as you!

  It’s only been
far more recently that I’ve been able to treat myself to the odd designer outfit and if I think I’m going to use something a lot then it’s OK to spend a bit more. If you are buying designer items, look for things that are relatively timeless and won’t go out of style. One of my favourite designer pieces is a black dress I bought last year from Sportmax, which I love because the material is so thick and silky, it just hangs beautifully and is so flattering. Although it’s not like the shape I normally go for, it is really simple and chic. I wore it to the Guardians of the Galaxy premiere and I just know I will wear it for many years to come.

  There are great websites where you can borrow designer items for a fraction of the cost of the real thing and I used to do this a lot. All the sites work slightly differently, but the one I signed up to allowed you to pick three options and a back-up size and only pay for the one you chose.

  I have worn a couple of Hervé Leger dresses, and the Tibi dress that I wore for my first Tanya Burr Cosmetics launch came via those sites – mine for a few days only!

  At the moment one of the designers I really admire is Stella McCartney. If I see someone in a magazine or on the red carpet and like their outfit, a lot of the time they have been dressed by her. I wore a Stella McCartney dress to my lashes launch last year and it felt really special. I also love Mulberry. Their clothes are so classic and quintessentially British. The quality is always amazing and my Mulberry handbag was my first-ever designer handbag, so it holds a special place in my heart!

  HOW TO ACCESSORISE

  Accessories can really personalise your outfit and often shoes and bags last for decades – much longer than clothes! The great thing about accessories is that they can really change an outfit and make your look rockier, more classic or sexier. However, it’s important to know when to stop. I think one or two well-chosen items can really lift a look but don’t go overboard. For example, when wearing a statement necklace, I pair it with simple studs rather than big dangly earrings. If you want to wear lots of bracelets, don’t wear too much around the neck. You don’t have to match your bag, shoes and belt either. It’s all about getting an even balance for a polished look.