Funday Sundays

How is it yet another bank holiday?! It feels like we are being utterly spoilt by these Monday morning lie in's at the moment- not that I'm complaining!

Anyway, after chatting to a few of my lovely readers, and even my closest friends, I've decided to start sharing a little more with you in my tiny corner of the world wide web. But don't worry- my snip bits of gossip will always be accompanied with a little bit of beauty love!

This weekend it was time for a much overdue catch up with my gorgeous friends, Heather and Zarah, after Heather returned from 6 months of living the dream in Austria. I met the girls whilst working for Estee Lauder, so meeting up with fellow make-up lovers I decided to push the boat out from my usual chilled Sunday look! 

After rifling through my make-up bag I decided to create plum smokey eyes, complete with rose pink lips and cheeks.

 I started with the Illamasqua Compliment Palette, sweeping the cool brown liquid metal over eyelids from lash line to socket, before highlighting the inner corner of the eye with the champagne shadow. Adding smokiness with the rosy plum shadow in the socket line and the deep purple to the outer corners and lash line, before finishing with Daniel Sandler Velvet Waterproof Eyeliner in Grey to top and bottom lash lines and two coats of Max Factor Masterpiece Max mascara. 

Finished look

For naturally sculpted cheeks, I buffed Illamasqua Cream Pigment in Hollow under cheekbones before sweeping yet another cream pigment, this time in Androgen, from the apples of cheeks and up over cheekbones. Finishing with a subtle highlight on tops of cheekbones using Kryolan Illusion in Silk.

The finishing touch of pink, was from my favourite lip stain Kryolan Lip N Cheek in Petunia, followed by Art Deco High Shine Lipgloss in clear. 

All ready for a day in Liverpool and lots and lots of girlie gossip!

Lots of fun with the girlies!

Workshops at SCR

Over at SCR we hold a variety of workshops- some held by other artists and others by myself and Robyn.

This weekend for example, the absolutely lovely and extremely talented make-up artist and social media guru Karla Powell held her popular Lip Art workshop at the salon, welcoming 8 make-up artists to hear about her journey and learn lots of tricks of the trade!

All Set Up

Work stations

Karla working her magic!

Karla used her favourite products from Illamasqua, Crown Brushes, Lime Crime, Mehron and OCC, whilst showcasing three unique lip looks and her lip prep routine. If you are a new or experienced make-up artist or simply a make-up obsessed consumer, I would highly suggest Karla's classes- lots of fun and really inspirational!

For the past four years, we have held a number of workshops at SCR, from Catwalk Trends, to Special Effects and 1-2-1 training, welcoming lots of lovely students through our doors!

This summer, we are increasing these 1 day workshops- to create our very own Summer camp!

First up is our Cosmetic Camp, perfect for complete make-up novices. Perhaps you want to try your hands at a few techniques before starting a formal make-up qualification, or maybe just to hear and see what a role as a make-up artist is really like? This workshop is for you.

Starting on August 5th and running until the 8th, you will gain in depth knowledge of skin types, correct skin care, working with face shapes, natural day make-up, sophisticated evening make-up and sultry smokey eyes. Plus, we'll play with colour and create creative looks too!

Each student will leave with a mini portfolio- a great opportunity to see how far you've come!

Secondly, there's our Finishing School. Designed for newly qualified make-up artists or those who want to make the move from fashion and special occasion make-up into film and TV.

Taking place from August 12th-15th, this workshop covers basic SFX, script breakdown, working to a brief, continuity and the essential skills required for such a rewarding role.

Each workshop is available to SIX students only, and places are already limited.

Each workshop costs £100 (only £25 per day!!) and places can be secured with a simple £25 deposit.

For further information, and to book your place, call the salon on 0151 708 7245 and speak to Sian or Robyn. We'll be happy to talk you through everything and start you on your path to a future career!!

Liverpool Media Interview

Well here is a blast from the past!

This interview was printed way back in 2010 in LSMedia magazine after I worked with the lovely Rose Gallager, who most of you will know from Mixed Gem's, on a student fashion event!

Interview with Sian-Louise Auld, Liverpool based make-up artist

by Emma Huckerby

Lady Gaga is, perhaps, one of the most striking, dominating and creative women in music at the moment. And on first impressions what, exactly, do we, as the ever judgemental audience, see? Well, exactly this. Take away the clothes (although admittedly Gaga can be prone to wearing little, if any, at the best of times) and one is still given the image of this particular woman. And it can be argued that this specific image is all down to Lady Gaga's entourage of makeup artists and hair stylists. Immense false eyelashes, glittering and pouting lips, intricate hairstyles...it's a major slice of what the Gaga brand is all about. So it is no wonder, then, that getting highly expressive with one's makeup and hair, is becoming increasingly popular. And also no wonder why Lady Gaga herself, is admired by makeup artist Sian Louise Auld Here, in our exclusive interview, Sian divulged her advice for looking utterly gorgeous, how she experiments with her own makeup, whilst also allowing us to have a peak at one of the favourite 'looks' she created through makeup...

Emma-    Which celebrities do you recognise as having idyllic hair and make up, and why?

Sian-   I personally, like most of us, really love Lady GaGa’s hair and make-up in her videos- its so way out and individual! Make-up artist and Illamasqua Creative Director, Alex Box has fantastic style, make-up and hair too- I’d love to be brave enough to dress like she does every day! 

Would you say that having such a good knowledge of hair and make up allows you to experiment more with your own personal look, or, contrarily, allows you to acknowledge which styles suit you best and stick to them?

A bit of both really! When time isn’t on my side or it’s a special occasion I stick to what I know suits me but when I have a bit more time and going out I like to experiment a bit more! Especially with bold lip and eye colours! A lot of my friend’s are hair and make up artist’s too so its always exciting to see what everyone else is going for!

Talk us through one of your favourite pieces from your portfolio.

I love this image! It was taken in London February 2009, and since then has had pride of place at the front of my book! The photographer was someone whose work I had admired for a long time and was lucky enough to be given the chance of working with her in her hometown of London. The inspiration was Make-up Forever’s Gothic campaign at the time and I used there fabulous products to create the look.

Photographer- Berna V www.berna-v-photography.co.uk/-

Model-Rosanna Dimmick at First Model Management

Make-up- Sian-Louise Auld using Make-up Forever 

Stylist- Kati Brugnoli

What general tips would you give to ensure effective make up application?

I always recommend applying your make-up with brushes and spend as much as you can afford on them! I love the MAC brushes, as they are the most reasonable but still amazing quality. My favourites are 190-foundation brush and the 217, 239 and 224 eye shadow brushes.

What general tips would you give for maintaining healthy and well-styled hair?

Regular trims and using good quality shampoo, conditioner and treatments for your hair will keep it in good shape. Like make-up brushes, spend as much as you can regularly afford on hair care, which is made especially for your hair type.

Are there any good quality products under £10 that you could recommend to a student on a budget?

 I love max factors products, especially Masterpiece Max mascara (£9.95) and miracle touch foundation (£11.95). No.7 lip liners and glosses are brilliant budget buys too!

NYX Cosmetics

I'm always on the lookout for new products to try, much to my business partner 

Robyn's horror. (the So Coco Rouge studio literally has boxes and boxes full of 

my random purchases over the years. Neon yellow eyeshadow anyone?!)





This weeks cheeky purchase is from LA based brand NYX  Cosmetics- who are famed for their

 on-trend shades, strong pigments and amazing colour payoff. 

NYX, founded by Toni Ko and launched in 1999, is the talk of most beauty bloggers and 

professional make up artists- and always one to jump on the bandwagon, I wanted 
my chance to try these beauties too!

The NYX UK website is jam packed with tempting images of their latest offerings- 

I'm already planning on purchasing their Soft Matte Lip Cream and The Curve liner next- but 

today I headed straight to the Jumbo Eye Pencil section on the hunt 

for Karla Powell's new favourite, Milk.







This bright white pencil is made with a blend of mineral oil and powder pigments 

enabling an easy application with no pulling on the eyelid. All NYX Jumbo Eye 
Pencils can be worn alone, but Robyn and I decided to try this as a base to 

eyeshadow. The waxy texture is perfect for loose pigments to adhere to, and a 
great way of enhancing the vibrancy of any eyeshadow shade.

 A definite kit must have. 
Left- Milk alone. Middle-Shadow alone. Right- Shadow over Milk.

Being a Liverpool based salon, our clients love a bit of sparkle, so glitter was 
another definite purchase! Usually we tend to stick to MAC loose glitters, but 
as NYX offered such a great selection at a bargain price, it seemed rude not to 
pick some to try!

I love warm golden tones, so Hot Gold Glitter was a must! Starting with my Jumbo 
Pencil in Milk, applied straight to the entire lid then smoothed using my 


fingertips, I then blended MAC Copper Ring into the socket line. Teaming this 
with MAC Carbon in the outer corner, the finishing touch was Hot Gold Glitter on 
the lid, which created the perfect 'Glitter Smoke' as us scousers call it!

Hot Gold Glitter over Milk
Both Robyn and I were really impressed with these new additions to the SCR kit, 


and will definitely be trying our Crystal Glitter on our clients this weekend too!

Look Good Feel Better

I will be the first to admit, that I have never really been a fan of Angelina Jolie. As an avid 'Friends' lover, I was most definitely on Team Aniston during the 00's Pitt-fight.

But today, my opinion changed. 

 This morning Angelina bravely revealed that she carries the faulty gene BRCA1 and has taken the hard decision to have a preventative mastectomy, reducing her risk of developing breast cancer from 87% to less than 5%.

For any women, this must be a terrifying decision., but it must be especially so, working in the public eye where every inch of your appearance is critisied. It hard to even imagine. 


Cancer, and the research into genetic mutations is a topic very close to my heart, and since I began my training ten years ago, I have been itching to 'give something back' and work with women going through tough times. But it wasn't until a few years ago that I heard about Look Good Feel Better, a charity which works with women who have developed cancer.

I came across the programme whilst working for Max Factor in 2008, at my local Boots store. Various members of staff from each cosmetic house took it in turns to volunteer at the local hospital workshop where women suffering from different types of cancer would come for a relaxed and informative skincare and make-up lesson.

I then came across more information about the charity,  through my admiration for top make-up artist Caroline Barnes' work. I was under the impression that LGFB only accepted volunteers from employed cosmetic consultants rather than freelance make-up artists, but seeing Caroline's support convinced me to give the team at LGFB a call and offer my services at the Liverpool centre. 

 LGFB use a 12 step programme, using the products kindly donated to each of the women by many cosmetic houses such as Chanel, Elizabeth Arden and Clarins.  Usually there is eight ladies attending the workshop, all various age ranges and at different stages of treatment- but all there to leave the Cancer chat at the door. This is their ME time. 

Once the women complete the session, they all admit they feel gorgeous. 

More importantly, they can recreate the look at home, meaning they can feel and look fabulous every single day! Working with these ladies is inspiring. Their 'positive energy' and thirst for life is infectious and as far as I'm concerned, this is my most important job as a make-up artist. 

For more information, and to volunteer, please visit

LookGoodFeelBetter

You can read more information on BRCA and Angelina Jolie's experience by visiting 
My Medical Choice

Max factor's UK ambassador and long term Look Good Feel Better supporter, Caroline Barnes, demonstrates the 12-step skincare and make-up regime on the Confidence Kit DVD, offered to all patients, for a small donation, through the website.

Face Lace

Last week at So Coco Rouge HQ we received a lovely call from the talented make up artist Phyllis Cohen. Phyllis has worked with some of the most outlandish of celebrities, such as Annie Lennox, Boy George and the Rougettes favourite, David Bowie. Her artistic, bold designs made her the go to make up artist for those wanting an eccentric look and the Rougettes have admird her work for years.

After 35 years in the industry, Phyllis has launched Face Lace. Put simply, these artistic self adhesive designs create a look which would take us professionals hours, within minutes. 

From glitzy masks, to pretty artistic eye designs and smaller floral transfers, there is a Face Lace design for any occasion you need to make the boldest of entrances.

Ringing a bell? Face Lace has already been worn on the catwalks of London Fashion Week, Instagrammed by the cast of Made In Chelsea and used by top make up artists Pixiwoo and Lisa Eldridge in their popular tutorials. Face Lace are also the talk of press, only a few months ago the Daily Mail hailed Face Lace as the latest make up trend, and they have graced the pages on Vogue online. 

Why did Phyllis call a group of scouse make up addicts?!

Well, with Harvey Nichols Beauty Bazar only a stones throw from our beautiful little home and an event with Grazia magazine around the corner, Phyllis needed a Rougette to represent the Face Lace brand. Flick in place and my lips painted their signature red, off I went to tell the ladies of Liverpool about Face Lace! 

We showcased a number of Phyllis's best selling designs including the Crystallised Hipstar Mask and Crystallised Fleurty  which all looked stunning on model Charley, from Impact models. All of the designs proved popular with the audience, and I'm sure there will be lots of scouse ladies sporting Face Lace this Summer!

The evening, held by the Beauty Bazaar personal shopping team, included talks by tanning expert James Read and Grazia make up artist Anne Sophia Costa.

You can purchase yours from Harvey Nichols Beauty bazar or direct from www.face-Lace.com

Cricket's Annual Show with Art Deco Make-up

Working as a make-up artist, I'm lucky enough to use a variety of different products. One brand that I keep in my kit is Art Deco- and their eye base is one of my favourite all time products!

 

Art Deco also have their own team of Creative's who can be hired for all sorts of projects, from televised award ceremonies to celebrity photo shoots.

 

Their latest project was for Liverpool's famous fashion store, Cricket, who were holding their annual fashion show just in time for Christmas. I was one of the lucky artists who was invited by Art Deco to work with them on the project!

 

 

Sally, head of make-up at Art Deco designed the looks using Amy, a stylist at Cricket's inspiration of 'Naria's Ice Queen.' And with this being Liverpool lots of glitter and gems were in order!

 

Image- Art Deco

Sally designed two looks- one focusing on a dark smokey eye and the other with a striking 'crystal brow' using a variety of art/craft items alongside lots of Art Deco products! Manicurist Laura, was also on hand to ensure the models nails continued the theme- lots and lots of silver glitter!

Image- Art Deco

 

Image- Art Deco

You can read a little more about who attended the event here and keep your eyes peeled in next week's OK! magazine, who covered the event.

 

 

Image- Art Deco

 

 



Boux Avenue comes to Liverpool One

Today Boux Avenue launched their latest stylish store in Liverpool One, and I was one of the lucky few to be invited along to the secret preview!

 

Boux Avenue, the UK's equivalent to Victoria's Secret, is a chain of lingerie stores owned by  Dragons Den star and business mogul Theo Pathitis.

We were greeted at the event by two gorgeous models, dressed in fur and one of Boux's beautiful corsets, complete with a modern take on 1940's Victory Rolls and classic red lips. Once inside, and a chilled glass of champagne in head, the browsing could begin!

 

Boux Avenue's collection includes beautiful bridal lingerie, everyday essentials and a vast nightwear range boosting both thermals nightshirts and barely there negligees! There certainly was something for everyone and every occasion!

 

 

 

Lots of friendly, trained advisers were on hand to assist us in our lingerie browsing, and even offered complimentary bra fittings to those of us brave enough to loose the layers on such a cold winters day!

 

Having taken a sneak peak into Boux Avenues changing rooms, loosing the layers seemed like a perfect idea!

 

Each beautifully decorated room is named after one of the exquisite fabrics used to make our all important lingerie.

 

 

 

But what really makes these changing rooms so different to every other high street store- is the lighting.

 

Boux Avenue, give us ladies THREE options!

Daylight, Dusk and Evening.

 

It really makes a wonderful change to see yourself in the lighting most of us will wear our new underwear in before we've even decided to buy it!

And if you need any extra help with the correct fitting or you require a different size, just press for concierge and one of the Boux advisers will come to your beck and call.

 

 

If that wasn't enough, I was also treated to these gorgeous goodies!

Huge thanks to Fluorescent PR for inviting me to this fantastic event!

 

 

A little update

Lets go right back to about 2 years ago. In fact, exactly 2 years ago today.

It's a rainy September day and I'm huddling up with an on set bag practically the same size as me, on a pew at the back of an old church. To my left is fellow make-up artist and long term friend, Robyn, chewing my ear off about how we should open a make-up studio in our hometown, were ladies could have their hair styled and make-up applied by true industry professionals. We had been doing make-up professionally for 7 years by this point.

A few months of in depth research and sheer hard work later, So Coco Rouge was born. Our lovely little studio tucked away on one of Liverpool's most famous art filled streets opened its doors to hundreds of brides, ladies that lunch and girls looking to feel like a celebrity for the weekend.

Within a matter of days we discovered we'd need a hard working team to work alongside us, not just in the studio, but on our professional jobs too. And the pro team was born.

The newly re-named SCR Pro, which is due to under-go a brand revamp this year, started off as a small team and grown into a creative agency, one of very few in the North. SCR Pro provides the likes of production companies with make-up artists, session stylists, manicurists and fashion stylists, for any sized project. In its short life, SCR Pro has provided creative talent for Hollywood actor Alan Cumming, Sky Sports and a number of fashion houses.

In early 2012, we decided So Coco Rouge needed a much bigger premises, where we could expand the team to offer hairdressing and beauty too. After viewing 40 commercial properties in a 2 mile radius and a one postcode restriction, we finally found it. Our perfect little shop, with a Parisian chic feel that suits the brand so well. On July 26th, we opened the doors to the So Coco Rouge Make-up, Hair and Beauty Parlour.

So, you'd think that would be enough to keep us busy. Apparently not.

Robyn, is a talented beauty writer and regularly answers reader questions in a Bridal beauty column in a national wedding magazine.

Whilst I on the other hand have taken the leap into the media, working as an on air cosmetic expert.

You can follow my giant leap here.....here's hoping I land on my feet!