by Sophie Gates
THE strangest weather in June has thrown us a huge curve ball in scheduling, declaring much of what we had planned as void. But that doesn’t stop us from hunting out the latest hidden gems for you...
Our latest favourite cosmetic brand, Illamasqua, showcases their new cosmetic collection this June, Naked Strangers, with nude shades and hints of metallic up for grabs. Awarded 
status in 2011, and joining a line up of illustrious brands such as winners such as Prada, Manolo Blahnik and Apple, you’ll be pleased to know despite the premium stature, the price-point won’t be breaking the bank any time soon.
No point in reinventing the wheel, as Illamasqua put it so eloquently themselves... Uncover the Naked Strangers collection; a place where alter egos are laid bare and naked flesh is a source of unashamed inspiration. In this delicate tipping point between intimacy and pleasurable detachment, we revel in the unknown; exploring the distance between pure Monogamous, gilded Faithful and uninhibited Swinger. Exposed nude tones, adorned with rich licks of gold, leave you gasping for more. Don’t restrain yourself. Unless, of course, you enjoy it.
The new range includes sumptuous metallic and nude nail polish, sensuous lip gloss and subtle blush. But our favourites have to be the Sheer Lipgloss in Intimacy Nude Pink Brown, and the Liquid Metal in Electrum Antique Gold, a rich and highly pigmented metallic cream which can be applied on the eyes, face or body.
The collection, along with the rest of the fabulous Illamasqua range, is available now from stores in the UK, Australia, Middle East and USA, or online.
With National Kissing Day and the Longest Day of the Year rolled into one on Thursday 21st June, tis time make your lips look divine. 
But that doesn’t mean you should neglect your pout for the rest of the summer.
We love the intensity of NARS Larger Than Life Lip Gloss range, with our favourite shade as Cœur Sucré, a shimmering bright pink. The gloss stays in place for hours and keeps your lips beautifully moisturised. The collection has ten different shades ranging from cherry red to lavender pink.
And we are rather impressed by the Max Factor Flipstick Colour Effect in Gipsy Red. Its double ended design means you can apply the colours separately or, of course, blended together to give a shimmer to the creamy base by applying the second shade just to the centre of your lip.
Coming up next we have a feature on how to adapt your look from the day to evening, and soon we’ll be launching Grooming For Men, exclusively for you gentlemen-types out there, kicking off with a Facial Skincare feature.
So, until then, cheerio for now!
sophie@rugbyunplugged.com
EVERYWHERE we go, it seems like we are struck by Emma Watson’s beauty in the new Lancôme advert. Rouge in Love is the new lipstick collection from the legendary cosmetics brand. With 24 shades to suit any type of occasion, we are told to ‘Love your lips’, with this six hour long wear lipstick that has an ‘addictive featherlight texture’.
If you are a fan of beautiful nails, then you will love the new limited edition Jubilee collection by Nails Inc launching this May. With a mix of red, white and blue glitter, inspired by the Union Jack, of course, your nails are going to look dazzling. What an exciting time to be British, with the Diamond Jubilee and the Olympics all around the corner.
How many of you gents take all of your grooming products away with them – I bet not many because they’re too bulking, or you think you’ll just use whatever is in the hotel bathroom. Well, Molton Brown has designed Men's Stowaway 2012, a new stylish travel size toiletry kit for him, for all your grooming essentials. It includes two types of bodywash, a facewash, shaving cream, a hydrator, a lipsaver and a Cool Buchu Eau de Toilette, all in a handy sized travel bag.
So what’s coming up in the beauty section of Rugby Unplugged this summer, I hear you ask...
It’s officially summer at the end of next month...can you believe it, already?! So we’re going to be looking at all the best Sun Protection make-up and creams out there for both you ladies and gents. We know April seemed like a blur of downpours, so we are praying for a scorching summer – and we’re getting in there early and making sure you’re all protected from the sun!
We’re also looking into Facial Skincare and will be testing out new products for him and for her – so make sure you come back for all the latest Fashion and Beauty updates over the coming months.
BANISH those tweezers and steer clear from plucking over load because it is all about natural bold brows this spring.
No we are not talking growing a mono brow – that can certainly be pluck, waxed or threaded. We are talking about growing your brows to their natural shape, with the odd pluck to take away any old strays.
Some people do forget about their eyebrows, but they are actually very important as they frame your face. So look after them and follow this season’s big trend by trying the Automatic Brow Duo from Esteé Lauder, it has a great texture, is long lasting and you do not even have to sharpen it. To get brilliant results and that extra definition, work the pencil into the brow against the hair growth, so that colour is placed onto the skin (this is what makes it last all day). Then use the brush to blend the colour into the brow, and you are done!
The Automatic Brow Duo priced at £16.50 comes in soft blonde, soft brown and soft black with an extra refill for added value.
Another big trend this spring following on with the natural theme is the fresh faced look and we have discovered a great product that can give you just that!
Introducing the FC5 Hydrating Cleanser + Freshener from Arbonne – it ‘freshens skins to help keep it looking more youthful and revitalised’… well we could not agree more. If you have normal to dry skin then this product is for you, it hydrates your skin giving you that much needed moisture your skin desperately craves.
This Swiss skin care line are passionate about their ‘green commitment’ and only use formulas which do not contain harmful ingredients and that are never tested on animals or contain animal by-products – so if your passions match up, head over to their website and take a look at all their products and information. 
Arbonne has a variety of products which you can enjoy from head to toe - from an anti-ageing range to a baby care range.
Finish off your natural fresh look and take care of your complexion by trying a tinted moisturiser – but make sure it has SPF in it. This month, if you’re lucky enough to have a Boots on the High Street, we are loving No7 Dual Protection Tinted Moisturiser – grab it for a fabulous sheer glow!
