Delving deeper into the cosmetics industry: why make-up means so much more than what is on the surface

According to CTPA (the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Perfumery Association), in 2013 the EU cosmetics market was worth EUR (€) 72 billion.

Also according to CTPA: “cosmetic products are enjoyed by millions of people all over the world contributing to healthy lifestyles, well-being and confidence in appearance – feeling confident about one’s appearance rates as the most important factor for building self-esteem. This is a consistent finding from several years of research, conducted by CTPA since 2004, and comes above having a large group of friends, being financially successful and even having a supportive family.”

Research such as the above proves the importance of cosmetics in 21^st century life, and it is very interesting to read exactly how much of an impact our personal appearance has on our self-esteem. Cosmetics have become a huge part of everyday life and people who were once labelling it and unnecessary and shrugging off the idea of it generating huge profits and jobs for the country, are now beginning to sit up and take notice. It has escalated to mean considerably more than the simple act of enhancing or changing your external appearance. Cosmetics runs much deeper than what is on the surface.

Self-confidence is a huge issue in today’s culture. Despite stereotypes, it is not limited to women and it is certainly not limited to the young. Magazines, music videos, TV shows, movies and all forms of media are constantly bombarding us with images that represent generic beauty, beauty that fits whatever the most current trend is at that time. It seems that it is becoming increasingly more difficult to go anywhere without being faced with the media's idea and portrayal of beauty. It has been said a million times before, and there are thousands of articles and blog posts floating around the internet about this issue, but it will not be enough until people begin to realise and understand that they are free to be whoever they want to be, whether or not that version of themselves matches up to the media’s definition of beauty, is irrelevant.

This issue, no matter how it is interpreted by each individual, has helped to catapult the cosmetics industry into the billion-pound industry it is today. The media’s interpretation of beauty and their way of forcing that interpretation on us, has caused us as a nation to be more self-conscious than ever before, more aware of our appearance than ever before and more likely to flock to Boots on a Saturday afternoon to pick up the latest cosmetic collections than ever before.

Building up your individual style is one of the most effective ways to express yourself. Experimenting with your appearance in whichever way, particularly at a younger age (come on guys, we all did it!) helps to shape us into the person we are becoming. Experimentation and expression are key factors when developing your own self-identity.

To feel confident in your appearance is a huge step towards all-round self-confidence, and without meaning to sound horribly cheesy, if we are confident with ourselves there is very little we cannot achieve (we know, we know, super cringe – but hear us out!) Being self-confident eliminates our thoughts and cares (to a certain extent) of what other people think of us. If you are happy with yourself and those closest to you love and accept you for who you are, then what does it matter what anybody else thinks? What a wonderful way to think, ey? Self-confidence is the first major step towards self-acceptance, and self-acceptance makes for a considerably easier life.

All that from just applying a bit of lipstick in the morning to brighten up our face… who’d have thought it!?

What are your thoughts on self confidence? Do you find it extremely difficult, or have you found peace with yourself?

We'd love to know what you think.

Until next time,

The Vivien Kondor London Team.

Nails for the warmer months

With spring beginning to make itself at home, we think it's about time we brought out the brighter colours, more appropriate for the warmer days and shorter nights. Not a dark red or deep purple in sight...

Pictured (l-r): !07-Lime Green, 117-Shiny Baby Pink, 118-Rose Pink, 125-Metallic Blue, 128-Coral, 129-Tangerine, 133-Butterscotch

Sometimes winter can feel like the month that never ends, we spend half of it rushing around getting excited for Christmas and New Year, and once the festive period ends, it seems as though the first two months of the year last twice as long as they should. When spring finally begins to announce it's presence, it gets us so excited for the coming months, longer and warmer days, holidays, beach trips, picnics in the park, summer festivals... the list goes on. As soon as that first ray of sunshine peeks through the clouds after winter, we start yearning for summer.

In preparation for the sunshine and the summer months, we have picked out seven colours that we absolutely love, and feel are perfect to get you in the mood to wave goodbye to winter. Here at Vivien Kondor, we pride ourselves on experimenting with unique shades that you don't stumble across often, and we think that some of these are absolutely perfect for this time of year; don't you agree?

107-Lime Green

Lime Green may be a little out of your comfort zone (it is well known that green is significantly difficult to pull off); but what is more perfect for spring and summer than green? Green is everywhere you look during these months, on the trees, on the ground, it is all around. It's also one of the first signs that spring has arrived; when everything begins to look greener. Lime Green is not too harsh or overpowering in it's tone, and makes the perfect springtime nail colour for those looking to treat their nails to something new.

117-Shiny Baby Pink

Although Shiny Baby Pink can be worn all year round, it is a real classic girly baby pink that is just perfect for spring. Quite the opposite to Lime Green, Shiny Baby Pink is incredibly easy to pull-off and it is the ultimate colour for the transition between colder and warmer months. If you are looking for a classic colour that is undeniable for spring, Shiny Baby Pink is the essential edition to your nail polish collection.

118-Rose Pink

Another nail polish essential for those who love all things girly, Rose Pink is a classic pink with much deeper, richer undertones. We think this colour is perfect for a summer festival (for those of you who aren't brave enough to rock our Neon Collection, which we also label as 'perfect for festivals'), for a weekend away in the country or on the beach somewhere in Spain, Rose Pink is extremely versatile while being so suited for the summer months it should have sunglasses on!

125-Metallic Blue

A colour now for those who are not into the 'standard' summer pink shades, or for those who simply want to try something new. Metallic Blue is a cool sky blue with a metallic and shiny finish. This is another example of a great festival nail, but would also work brilliantly well when chilling out at the park in the sunshine with your friends. You could very easily wear this colour all year round, but we think it works really well during the summer months to add cool tones to any outfit.

128-Coral

Coral is a very unique shade, and one that we are really looking forward to wearing this summer! Mostly pink in colour, this gorgeous shade has obvious undertones of orange and blends together to create the most beautifully individual colour! This is a wonderful colour to use when spicing up an otherwise-plain outfit and catches the light in the most magical way as you move, looking differently from every angle you view it at. This colour is our top pick here at VKHQ - and comes very highly recommended.

129-Tangerine

Another unusual and unique colour, tangerine is arguably the perfect summer colour. Bright, fresh, warm and deliciously orange, this colour reminds us of beautiful summer sunsets.This is most definitely one of the harder shades to pull off, as it doesn't wear as easily as a pink shade would, for example, however the uniqueness and prettiness of this shade simply cannot denied. If you are looking for complements galore on your gorgeous summer nail shade - Tangerine is for you!

133-Butterscotch

If you have followed our blog and/or social media sites for a while, you will definitely be familiar with this shade. As we are committed to creating new and unique shades alongside the tradition nail colour here at Vivien Kondor London, we began a quest to create 'Neon Gold'. This was our first attempt (not too bad for a first try ey!?). To read all about this shade, its creation and transition into the Butterscotch that we know and love today, click here. We have had a lot of interest in this shade due to the originality and uniqueness of the colour, and we feel there is no better time of year to rock Butterscotch than summertime. It's just so perfect for this time of year; don't you think?

Remember that all our products are still on sale in the Amazon store (find that here) - but hurry, this sale will end very soon and we'd hate for you to miss out on updating your summer nail polish collection for a fraction of the usual price! We'd also love for you to check out our brand new website! Everything you will need to know about the brand is here, with links to all social media sites and the blog, as well as a place to buy Vivien Kondor products right from us! Find that here.

Thank-you for stopping by and we hope that some of the colours above caught your eye. Make sure you keep us up-to-date on your purchases, your favourite summer nails or just your plans for the summer! Pop over to our Twitter, Facebook or Instagram pages if you haven't already and say hi, and don't forget to hashtag #vivienkondor.

Until next time, 

The Vivien Kondor London Team