NYFW SS14 Make-up Trends

It might be grey, rainy and miserable here in the UK, but over in New York, where the late summer sun is still shining, the catwalks are full of the joys of Spring.

Yes, its fashion Week once again! 

So, after 7 days of shows, including the iconic Diane Von Furstenburg, Marc Jacobs and Alexander Wang, what beauty trends can we be expected to fall for when the sunshine returns next year?

From flawlessly natural at Sass & Bide and Jenny Packam, to rose gold glitter eyes at Jason Wu and bright pop's of colour at Marc Jacobs and Rag & Bone, next season your make-up bag is your oyster.

This makes a great change- Spring Summer make-up has been too plain, too pastel for too long in my opinion. It's about time we all embraced the amazing products we have at our disposal and started to treat make-up as creative tool. Your face is simply a bank canvas for your own creativity.

Fancy getting ahead of the pack and trying a SS14 trend this winter? Then make sure you pair your bright pop or colour, or glitter eye with a flawless base. Charlotte Tilbury was in charge of the fresh, natural complexion created at Sass and Bide, and from the design sheet she posted on her Instagram page this morning we can presume she used MAC products primarily. My personal favourite is MAC Face and Body, which is lightweight, water resistant and offers a light-to-medium buildable coverage. (A great pro tip is to apply a small amount to the palms of your hand and 'clap' your hands together. This creates a thicker tecture which you can apply using your hands.) For a purse friendly alternative, you could also try Bourjois Radiance Reveal Healthy Mix Foundation or No7 Instant Radiance Foundation.

At Marc Jacobs make-up artist Dick Page, created bold blue washes of colour over models lid's by using Shiseido Shimmering Eye Cream in Ice Blue followed by an electric blue eyeshadow. Dick admitted this look followed no inspiration- just that he and Marc loved the colour and decided to add a pop of colour! 

You could also try Nars Duo Cream Eyeshadow in Burn It Blue (using the cream only) and follow with MAC Eyeshadow in Electri Eel for a very similar look. Finish with two coats of black mascara, soft neutral cheeks and a natural lip.

If you'd rather keep your pop of colour simple, try a slick of orange on your lips.

A first for Rag & Bone, make-up artist Gucci Westman created a super bright lip, which constrasted beautifully against the clothings neutral palette.

Gucci used a brand new colour from Revlon, Carnival, which doesn't launch until Spring next year, but MAC Morange or Illamasqua Flare are available now and will create a similar look.

Keeping skin natural and lumious, a bright matte lip is a fantastic yet simple way to play with texture.

And finally, if you want to make an impact at this years christmas party then try Diane Kendal's rose gold glitter eye shown at Jason Wu. Using Lancome Le Crayon Khôl in Black Coffee in the socket line for extra definition, followed by a mix of golden brown tones to the lid before applying loose glitter on damp brushes, to aid placement. I love Make-up Forever Glitter in Beige which is available in the UK from Guru make-up Emporium.

Phew. One city down, three to go!

Illamasqua- Sacred Hour Collection

I know I shouldn't be wishing the Summer away, but I am really loving all the new collections available on the high street right now. And if there is one beauty collection I always look forward to, it's got to be Illamasqua.

Sacred Hour, which is now available nationwide after a period of exclusivity at Selfridges, is one of the most wearable collections they have launched. Each and every product could be worn by any age group and even by the most colour shy. A tad different from the Paranormal collection then.

Illamasqua describe Sacred Hour in this poem-

'I lay down my body in surrender to the elements. My spirit soars, wiser than before. A raw force of nature. Yet I conquer. Stronger. I arise victorious. I am the dawn spirit. A am the dusk warrior. This is the universe. I am magic. Welcome to the sacred hour.'

First up its the Reflection Palette, which following the Paranormal palette, is a water resistant, silicone formula, which feels a bit like a soft putty to apply. I personally like to apply these with my finger tips to the lid area, then for a stronger, evening look, layer a complimentary powder on top.

The four shades are all gorgeous metallics- a soft gold, taupe, grey and bronze, shot through with a beautiful shimmer.

Next is the stunning cream-to-powder Velvet Blusher, available in two dusky tones, Sleek being a coral and Peaked a rose. Simple to apply with either fingers or a brush, these leave a pretty flush of colour to cheeks, without looking overly made up.

My favourite item from the collection is Shard lipstick, the perfect Autumn lip colour and one that will be my handbag staple. The red-violet tone suits most skin tones, and is a softer way to embrace a red lip. Definitely a worth while buy!!

L-R. Sleek, Peaked and Shard Lipstick

Suffering from an end of summer sleep meltdown (I know I certainly am!) then you need the brightening, concealment of Skin Base Lift. Designed to disguise uneven under eye pigmentation and appear to visibly lift the area, it's also really easy to blend with fingers. Not only is this available in a wide range of shades, you can also mix in a touch of White Light, which adds an extra brightening effect when we need it! (Monday morning essential for me!)

Finally the collection also includes a gorgeous set of fluttering lashes and two new nails colours-Facet and Hemlock, which can be worn alone or together. 

I truly adore this collection, and can't wait to start using them not only on myself but on my clients too!

Benefit They're Real Mascara

There is nothing I like more than receiving a freebie with my monthly glossy- and this month I was one happy girl indeed when the postie dropped Elle through my letter box!

Not only did the cover star a sexy yet androgynous looking Miley Cyrus, hiding in the bottom corner was a tasty little treat for us make-up junkies.

The UK's Number 1 selling mascara, Benefit 'They're Real'.

Image- Benefit Cosmetics

I have been tempted to use this mascara since it was launched, but after not being 100% happy with the result of Benefits famous mascara 'Bad Girl Lash' back in 2005 I was wary. At £19.50 it isn't a majorly expensive purchase in comparison to some brands, but when the Max Factor mascara I know and trust is half the price, its hard to break free!

So, lucky for me, Elle has granted me a week long trial before I commit to making it a more permanent fixture in my daily routine!

What does this mascara offer our lashes then?

Try lengthening, volumizing, lifting, curling and separation for starters.

Add a unique domed brush head, complete with plastic bristles and a long lasting, smudge proof formula and there you have the recipe for luscious lashes all night long.

Following my daily technique- wiggling the brush from side to side as I comb the mascara from root to tip and grabbing the corner lashes with the tip of the brush- my first observation was to how wet the brush was. Usually this would indicate an overload of product, but my lashes stayed surprisingly clump free. 

My short lashes definitely appeared longer, lifted and more defined. But thicker?
Not as much as my sparse lashes need. In fact, I was even tempted to sneak my Max Factor fave out of my bag and add a coat to bulk them out a touch.

Two Coats of They're Real mascara

And I can hand on heart say it most certainly is. 


 The final claim that Benefit make is that this mascara is long lasting and smudge free.
How do I know?

Well, I was a very naughty girl and after 11 hours of beautifying the whole of Liverpool in So Coco Rouge, followed by a friends Birthday BBQ, I collapsed in a sober heap, full face of make-up in place.

Waking 8 hours later, I discovered that not only was my floral pillowcase make-up free (this is usually not the case on a Sunday morning) I, for once, did not resemble a panda. 

24 hours later....

So, most importantly- will I be making the purchase? 

YES!

Probably not for day to day use, as I definitely need a bit more thickness to my lashes, but for holidays and long work days, I will most certainly be pulling this little gem out of the bag.

PS...

The eyeliner I am still rocking 24hours later is No7 Stay Perfect, but we'll talk more about this soon!

My love for Gatsby.

Since I first sat cross legged in front of the television, watching the antics occurring at Fat Sam's Speakeasy and admiring Tallulah's fur stole, I have been smitten with the 1920's.

 My love grew further when, aged 16, my GCSE Drama and Dance projects focused on the era, and as the only lessons I took a real interest in, I reveled in the topic. 

Fur coats, cloche hats, red lips and secluded jazz bars still remain a few of my favourite things, and if I could hop in a time machine and experience it all for real, even just for 24 hours,  I would be the first in line to do so.

So when I heard one of my favourite stories- The Great Gatsby- was to be re-created for the big screen by the genius Baz Lurman, my love for the era and excitement grew and grew. So much so, that my friends, family and twitter followers must be rather sick of me going on about it!

I even held my very own Gatsby birthday party earlier this year, in a bar hidden behind a bookcase,  just to grab my own slice of the prohibition pie!

Birthday Celebrations!

After years of waiting, and week of listening to the soundtrack 24/7,  it's now less than a week until the UK film release.  Not that I have had a countdown or anything.....

 Long loved Gatsby fans like moi and new ones, intrigued by the media attention, will no doubt flock to their nearest cinema, where the Daisy and Gatsby of our generation will be portrayed by Carey Mulligan and every 90's girl's Romeo- Leonardo Dicaprio. 
Carey Mulligan has been one of favourite actress's and elfin hair icon since I first watched her in An Education back in 2009, and I couldn't think of a better casting for Gatsby's leading lady.  And if you have any doubt she wasn't born for the role, then you should turn your attention to the May issue of American Vogue.  To me, she truly encompasses the essence of Daisy Buchanan. 

These stunning images were shot by Mario Testino and styled by the legendary Grace Coddington. 

Being a typical make-up junkie, my eyes were instantly drawn to Carey's vintage inspired make-up, which was created by cosmetic genius Mark Carrasquillo, whose work often graces the pages of Vogue. Although this bold look appears tricky, its simple to recreate when you have the right tools- and this is how I plan to turn myself in a modern day Daisy!

  Daisy’s soft, smoky eye-
In the 20's they favoured a more rounded shape, but for a modern take, Mark has slightly winged out Carey's shadow to suit her natural eye shape.

1. Apply a small amount of a light shimmer cream shadow, such as MAC Cream Colour Base in Shell from lash line to the brow bone, using your fingers. 

2. Using a soft black eyeliner pencil, I like MAC Smoulder, apply short strokes into the lash line working from the outer corner towards to  inner, stopping two thirds of the way in. Repeat, moving up the eye lid until you have reached halfway between the lashline and socket line. 

3. Take a flat brush, by favourite is MAC 239 , and pat a dark brown/charcoal shadow on top of your eyeliner. For added warmth I like to use Illamasqua Shadow in Wolf.

4. Time to blend! Using a clean fluffy brush, blend the shadow on the lid up into the socket line. Use both back and forth and circular movements to blend seamlessly. Be careful to only use this brush in the upper parts of the dark eyeshadow, we want the area closest to the lashline to stay nice and dark! Try Crown Brush C139

5. For the metallic finish to Carey's eye make-up, apply Illamasqua Liquid Metal in Surge to the inner third of the eye and tear duct, using a synthetic brush from Crown. Use your fluffy brush to blend the edges of the two colours together.

6. Apply your kohl pencil to the water line and under the lower lash line until you meet the shadow in the outer corner of the eye. Blend the darker shadow over the pencil line under the lower lashes using a pointed brush, such as Crown C321, until you reach the metallic shade in the tear duct. 

7. Finish with two coats of a lash building mascara, such as Lancome Hypnose.

The iconic 20's red lip:

1. Line your lips using a rich red lip liner such as MAC Redd. Start at the cupids bow, before moving to the outer edge and work up into the bow. Repeat to the lower lip, again starting in the centre. Fill in your lips using the liner, this will help your lip colour to stay in place all night. 

3. Apply a matte red, I like Art Deco, Dita Von Teese, using a lip brush. No7 Lip Brush is one of my faves. 

4. Finish by applying MAC Pigment in Naked to the area immediately above the cupids bow using a cotton bud.

Voila! Daisy is reborn!

I hope you all enjoy The Great Gatsby, as much I hope I will!

In the meantime, take a look at this fabulous behind the scenes video Vogue created, I particularly enjoyed hearing Carey read an extract from the novel.

You can't repeat the past? Well, of course you can!

http://www.vogue.com/videos/behind-the-scenes-of-carey-mulligans-great-gatsby-themed-cover-shoot/

Illamasqua Beauty School Drop In

I'm the first to admit that I am a beauty product addict and a pretty bad shopaholic, especially when it comes to make-up. So you might be shocked to hear, that the area I hate most in department stores is in fact the Beauty Hall. Which is funny since I spent the first few years of my working life there.

Why? Well the florescent lighting doesn't help for starters, but it's the help, or should I say, lack of help I find I get from some advisers  who most of the time seem more concerned with preening themselves and blagging the biggest sale, than helping the customer. Yes, funnily enough us make-up artists do like to ask your advice when it comes to your latest products and we do value the knowledge the brand has given you on them!!

I'm a great believer in the power of knowledge. We can never stop learning and improving on our skills. Especially in an ever evolving industry such as make-up artistry. 

So, where do we turn when we want to try the latest products and be guided on new types of application? Illamasqua of course!

War Paint Against Mediocrity. Well said Illamasqua!

'Beauty School Drop In' is a complimentary group make-up lesson held on the first Sunday of every month at Illamasqua stores and counters. Each month the theme changes, meaning you could actually 'drop in' on a monthly basis and constantly widen your make-up knowledge!

This week I decided to pluck up the courage to attend my first class, and I will definitely be a regular student!

Our tutors, Patrick and Christina, were extremely friendly and put my fears of the beauty hall advisors at ease. No sales pitch or hard sell, simply friendly chat and lots of education.

This month's theme is Pin Up Beauty and the session I attended was aptly named 'Classic Pin Up Eyes'. Perfect for a girl who loves a new flick technique! 

Firstly, Patrick used the Eye Brow Cake mixed with a small amount of Sealing Gel on a Angled Brush to define his models brows. He recommended defining the arch and end of the brow first before using just the excess product on the inner section, which should be left natural looking. 

Well, by this point I knew this class was made for me. There is nothing I HATE more than seeing girls with an artificial square shape at the inner part of the brow. 

All hail Patrick I say.

Patrick creating beautiful brows

Next, he surprised us all by using Pencils for eye shadow. He sketched nude shade Vow under the brow bone and pink-chocolate shade Ascend onto the eye lid before buffing together using a fluffy brush. Quick, simple and a very effective end result!

 'Skin Sketching' is a technique practiced at the School of Make-up Art, and uses their Medium Pencils to create definition, contours and highlights. This handy tutorial explains it all.

Skin Sketching Tutorial

To intensify the eye lid shade, using the same fluffy brush, he applied Aura, the terracotta shade from the Paranormal Palette, up to and into the socket line. Patrick finished his pin-up look with a feline flick, using their newest best seller (this store has completely sold out!) Precision Gel Liner , two coats of mascara and a set of natural lashes.

Finished Pin Up Eyes

Unfortunately I couldn't stay for the next session, which focused on beautiful skin, but I will definitely be making Beauty School Drop In a monthly Sunday highlight  and I highly recommend that you do too!