A new sunny life

Whilst I am sat at the So Coco Rouge reception desk, peering out into the deary and dull May weather, it's comforting to know one member of my family is enjoying the sunshine.

Well, a little more than sunshine- Caribbean sunshine in fact.

Yes, my lucky lucky cousin and her lovely hubbie, this week upped sticks and headed to the beautiful Caymen Islands to start their sunny new life! 

Any room for a little redhead in that luggage guys?!

Pre wedding pampering

Suzanne, her brother Mike and I

Suzanne, is the gorgeous bride I had the pleasure of pampering for her Vegas wedding last year, and her love for the USA goes far beyond getting hitched there! As far back as I can remember, she's been determined to get out there and live the American dream. And this is the first tip toe into that fantasy. 

Suzanne and I grew up together,  almost like sisters, and as an only child, there is nothing more special than that precious relationship, and that of the one I have with her wonderful brother Mike. From days spent playing with barbies for an endless 12 hours to the ones spent declaring 'war'' across her parents landing, complete with trenches built with goose down feather pillows, our's was a childhood built on countless happy memories.

After over ten years working in the beauty industry, (and she's only 24!! They start you making tea in salons ultra young!!) ambitiously working her way up from spa therapist to a 5* spa manager and national skin care trainer, she's off for pastures new, and I'm sure a wonderful new job! I'm now simply and selfishly hoping her new job role has a make up artist opportunity available nearby! 

Any new life, needs one hell of a send off! So last weekend we spent a full day plus a special evening spent with family, celebrating the end of their UK life and the start of their new US adventure. Amongst many, many, many tears. 

Rocking my favourite deep red lip was a must, and with a red lip, comes a flick!

These are my favourites when creating my signature winter look....Yes, I know it's May- but have you looked out the window?!

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!

Illamasqua Matte Veil

If you are a regular Red Lip Reader you'll know I recently fell head over heels in love. Right now, I am one smitten kitten.

The object of my desire? Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation.

But now there is even more reason to get excited- as Illamasqua reveal their latest product, Matte Veil Primer.

Following the huge launch of Hydra Veil last May, Matte Veil is undoubtedly going to follow in its predecessors successful footsteps. Designed for people like myself, who suffer from oily-combination skin types, Matte Veil ensures your base stays flawless and shine free all day long.

Featuring hero ingredient Butyelene Gycol, this little beauty dissolves excess oil production, whilst its partner in crime Sodium Hyaluronate, keeps the skin feeling balanced resulting in a matte, yet glowingly healthy finish. 

After trying Matte Veil today, alongside Skin Base Foundation and Skin Base Lift Concealer, I can confirm it does just that! Plus you need the most minuscule amount, so a little goes a long long way!

Suffer from a drier skin type? Don't worry, help is at hand in the form of the original life saver, Hydra Veil. This lightweight gel packed with anti-oxidant marine algae, instantly re-hydrates skin and reduces the appearance of redness. A light application of Hydra Veil helps foundation from 'catching' in drier areas, or the dreaded creasing around the nose and under eyes. It even helps keep skin youthful, with  Collagen fibres to help stimulate the production of elastin fibers to make the skin firmer and smooth.

Matte Veil is launched on May 8th and Hydra Veil is available now.

Im sure you'll be joining me on adding these beauties to your make up bag, because what's not to love?! 

My Skin Base U-Turn

If you regularly catch up with my blog, you'll know how much I love Illamasqua products. From their cream pigments to their gel eyeliner, Illamasqua feature heavily in the So Coco Rouge kit box. 

Well, that is except our foundation box. 

When Illamasqua first launched in Manchester, I purchased their original foundations- Light Liquid and Rich Liquid- and I can hand on heart, honestly say, I was not a fan. In fact, they lay dormat at the bottom of my kit bag, squashed by my staples of MAC Face and Body, MUFE HD and Smashbox Studio Skin, until I finally threw them into the bin a few years later. 

When Skin Base launched in June 2011, I was unindated with squeals of declaration of love for it from my fellow MUA's. So, I half heartily popped into the Liverpool store, grumbling that I would certainly not like it, and deciding after around 30 seconds of blending the lightest shade into the back of hand, that Illamasqua foundations just 'weren't for me'. 

But, this Spring I have come to my senses and realised how wrong I was. 

Being dragged back to the Liverpool store after around 6 weeks of nagging from Robyn that we should give it one more chance, we were greeted by the absolutely lovely store manager, Rachel Murray, who told us a little more about this MUA favourite.

Illamasqua say- " Inspired by the cult Asian market Beauty Balm creams, Skin Base Foundation is a brand new, refined formula unlike anything on the UK market. Easily bendable, it effortlessly creates a perfect complexion, and like the entire Illamasqua foundation range, is undetectable in a professional HD environment. Suitable for all skin types, it smoothes, softens and conditions your skin whilst providing natural, buildable coverage."

So, I let Rachel suggest a shade to suit my skintone (and luckily Robyns too- we are both practically transparent naturally) and headed back to the salon to try it out once again.

Grabbing my two favourite foundation brushes- a Crown Brush Dual Fibre and a Sephora Precision Brush, I swiftly buffed skin base into my combination complexion. Looking into the mirror 2 minutes later, I expected to be met with a cakey, dry looking finish. Instead, I found myself in awe of my flawless complexion, with a natural glow. 

Crown Dual Fibre

Sephora Pro Precision Brush

Three weeks on, and I am seriously obsessed with Skin Base. So much so, that we are planning on purchasing another 5 shades of Skin Base, Hydra Veil Primer (which we've heard makes skin base glide onto drier skin types) and hopefully the Skin Base Mixers which British Beauty Blogger featured on her site recently!

The moral of my story? Don't give up on a product. Especially when the hype is still buzzing three years on. Keep persisting, because you never know when your going to fall head over heels in love! 

AW14 Beauty Trends

Well what a nuisance to have my busiest time in the salon, and a bad case of writers block over the fashion week period! Especially with this being the Autumn Winter showcase, which are typically always my favourites.

So this season I've been catching the shows online in between clients, and spending my bedtimes on Vogue.com reading show reports. Oh the glamour of fashion...

Well, what should we be wearing on our faces come September according to the fashion giants? To start with....blue. Yes, blue. 

At Temperley make-up artist Lisa Eldridge created blunt, squared ended flicks of eyeliner in bright blue. Keeping skin, lips and brows natural, all focus was on the outer part of the eye, with a soft peachy tone in the inner lash line and tear duct. Then over at Giles Lucia Pieroni created a soft punk look, with pastel blue shadow applied to the lower lash line, and deep grey smokiness on the eyelid. Finally at Michael Van der Ham, Sam Bryant used MAC to create a girlie 60's look with orange lips and a simple wash of dove blue on eyelids. Whatever way you wear it, blue is looking like a top trend for AW14.

Temperley- Image Cosmopolitan

Michael Van der Ham. Image- Cosmopolitan

 I'll be stocking up on Illamasqua eyeshadow in Anja, Illamasqua Eye Colouring Pencil in Debonair, MUA Gel Eyeliner in Blue and Crown All Eyes On You set for a professional finish.

Gucci Image- Cosmopolitan

The make-up genius and my ultimate heroine, Pat McGrath created stunning looks this season, as predicted. Inspired by the 1950s and 1960s the looks she created for Dolce and Gabbana and Gucci are wearable, simple to create, yet effective.

Dolce Image- Cosmopolitan

At Dolce and Gabbana models wore clean flicks of liquid eyeliner teamed with fuller brows, flushed cheeks and a naturally flawless complexion. Then over at Gucci, we jumped forward a decade to a 60s dollesque look. Focusing on longer bottom lashes and fuller, thicker top lashes, teamed with a muted pink/mauve lip. 

As a lover of vintage inspired looks, and liquid liner framed with full lashes, I swear by Eyeko Eye Do Liquid Eyeliner, Eyeko Eye Do Mascara, Liz Martins Lashes and Art Deco Teint Concealer. 

Contouring like Kevyn

Since Kimmy K tweeted that now famous image of her pre blended contour make-up, I'm finding lots of my clients are requesting a heavily contoured look. Yet, what I think is being forgotten, is that us make-up artists have been shading, highlighting and altering face shapes with the magic of make-up long before Kim signed up to Twitter. 

Let's go back 11 years, to when I was approaching my 16th birthday, and truly obsessed with make-up. This is when my dad first introduced me to the man who inpsired me (and thousands of others) to jump feet first into my dream career. Kevyn Aucoin.

If you have never witnessed the true magic of Kevyns work in Making Faces, Face Forward or Art of Make-up, then I suggest you head staright to your local book store, and be prepared to gasp in admiration. 

(Which is exactly how my students reacted on their first peek!)

Kevyn, was an American make-up artist, photographer and author, whose work graced Vogue covers and the faces of countless celebrities before his untimely death in 2002. In 2001, Kevyn launched Kevyn Aucoin Beauty, which is still a favoured brand by professionals and consumers alike.

 But, what Kevyn was really famed for was his amazing contouring techniques, which helped transorm Gwyneth Paltrow into James Dean, and male modesl into female supermodels, such as Linda Evangelista. 

His work was truly beautiful, inspiring and his passion for make-up seeps through the pages of each book.

I can honestly say,  these books changed my life. 

So, how do we contour like Kevyn?! Well, you can clearly see from the image above, where we should be applying our products. Using lighter tones, either matte or with a soft shimmer, helps the areas to appear lifted and more promiment, whilst using darker, matte tones, creates a shadowed, receeded appearance. 

There is lots of products on the market- but some are much better than others in my opnion. (And being a spend-a-holic, I've tried them ALL)

Illamasqua Hollow

You can use either liquid, cream or powder products- or a mixture of both for a stronger look if you wish. When training, a great way to experiment with contour is by using foundation- choosing 2 shades lighter for highlighting and 2 shades darker for shading. 

Tom Ford Shade&Illuminate

My favourite cream products for contoruing are Illamasqua Cream Pigment in Hollow for fairer skin tones and Tom Ford Shade and Illuminate for medium to dark skin tones. I like to apply these using my Crown Dual Fibre Brush, or for a stronger application, Illamasqua Blush Up Brush. For highlighting, I use  17 Skin Wow or MAC Strobe to create an irresdesence glow.

Kevyn Aucoin Sculpting Powder

I also like to apply powder products for a stronger finsih, either over cream alone.

Kevyn Aucoin Sculpting Powder is a favouirte of mine, as the red, grey and brown tones create a natural shadow effect, which is string but easily blendable.  MAC Blot Powder is also a great kit item, which you can use to keep shine at bay, and add soft contours. I have four shades in my kit- Light, Medium, Dark and Deep Dark. I like to apply powder contour with an angled brush, such as  Crown 104. 

For highlighting, I use a mixture of things, all from MAC, such as the now discontiued Beauty Powder, vanilla eyeshadow (matte) and vanilla pigment (high shimmer), using the Highlighter Brush from Illamasqua.

 Why not try a strong smokey eye or bold berry lip with your contoured look this weekend?! I know I will be!

Halloween at SCR

Halloween is nearly upon us once again- and at So Coco Rouge it's easily one of our favourite weeks of the year!

With Robyn and I coming from a TV/Film background, we always try to focus more of the SFX side of spooky make-up, but this year Robyn has let her creative side escape a little more!

From Roy Lichtenstein inspired Pop Art to Black Swans and spooky skeletons  this month Robyn Rougette has been busy creating them all!

When it comes to creating our SFX Halloween make-up, we always rely on the same professional brands we'd use on a TV show or film. After all, every make-up that leaves SCR leaves with our pro reputation! If you are looking to go down the SFX avenue, I'd suggest adding the Kryolan Special Effects Range, such as Bruise Wheel, Blood and Latex, to your kit. But most importantly, PLEASE train in this area first. SFX make-up is a completely different ball game to fashion and photographic!

Other products we relay on for our Halloween make-unders include Kryolan Supracolor, Ben Nye palettes and a whole host of Illamasqua Pigments, Cream Pigments and Liners.

If you are heading out in Liverpool this Halloween, remember to give So Coco Rouge a call, on 0151 708 7245 and let the Rougettes work their mysterious magic on your make-under!

MFW SS14 Make-up Trends

As we get deeper in the depths of October, those SS14 shows seem further and further away! But, as a fashion week obsessive, I'm still cooing over those images from the four fashion capitals.

Image- ELLE UK

Over in Milan, Make-up was mainly pretty simple with hints of colour on either lips and eyes- but rarely both.

Make-up queen Pat McGrath was once again on hand at Dolce and Gabbana, creating a soft beautifully feminine feel, inspired by Sophia Loren. McGrath used the Dolce and Gabbana make-up line, buffing Luminous Cheek Colour in Rosebud, Apricot and Peach to the areas we would traditionally apply bronzer- forehead, cheek, nose and chin. She also used peachy tones as a wash of colour over the eyelid and pressed into lips for a natural stain.

For a purse friendly alternative, try Bourjois cream blush in Healthy Glow. Smooth onto lid and lips using your finger, and buff into skin using Duo Fibre brush from Crown.

Whilst at Frankie Morello, top MAC artist Terry Barber, created that SS14 staple- the orange lip. With porcelain skin, kept fresh and dewy and eyes left completely nude, all focus was on that lip. Applied in a relaxed fashion- no precise lip lining here- was MAC's SS launch, Velvetease lip pencil in Lover's Lane, topped with loose orange pigment for a totally matte finish. If you can't wait until Spring, invest in Barry M Lip Liner in 113 and NYX Loose Eyeshadow in Orange Zest.

IMAGE- ELLE UK

But, my favourite show of all at Milan, has to be Moschino. Here Tom Pecheux was inspired by the collections Good Girl/ Bad Girl Theme, and designed two completing contrasting looks.

The first, an angelic bare faced look, with dewy skin. The quickest way to achieve such a look, is to moistuise the skin well, using massaging motions, always working outwards towards the ears. Next, mix two of my all time favourite MAC products together- MAC Face and Body and Strobe Cream before buffing into skin using Crown Dual Fibre brush in circular motions. 

The 'Bad Girl' look consisted of a bold red lip and a graphic red and black eye liner. Backstage gossip suggests that Pecheux played around with a variety of shapes before choosing his favourite- a lesson that we should all learn. After all, make-up is the simplest tool to play with when creating a new look for ourselves.

The latest gel liner to find its way into my kit is from Illamasqua, and would be ideal for this look.

You can also pick up Colouring Pencil in Spell, which can be used alongside the black liner and as your lip colour too.

Three down, one to go, but already it looks like the SS14 make-up trends are wide open- bring on the creativity!

LFW SS14 Make-up Trends

As the fashion pack leave London behind and head to the streets of Milan, it's time to look back at which collections inspired us the most, make-up wise.

The week was filled with a variety of looks- bold lips, soft eyes, nude cheeks and everything in-between!

The 1970's was one decade that cropped up in a few shows- Holly Fulton, Temperly, Paul Smith and Jean Pierre Braganza were three of those shows, each inspired by different aspects of the disco days. I for one, will be embracing this look- I would do anything to have been a fly on the wall at Studio 54 in its heyday!

Temperly

At Temperly, Lisa Eldridge created soft Hollywood glamour, with warm apricot shadows buffed seamless around eyes, teamed with a glowing complexion, whilst at Paul Smith and Jean Pierre Braganza artists Petros Petrohilos and Terry Barber sought inspiration from British actress and fashion icon Jane Birkin.
 (It's not just anyone gets a Hermes bag named after them.. )

Jean Pierre Braganza

Soft fluffy lashes and sunkissed freckles were on the agenda at Paul Smith, where Petrohilos created natural looking freckles using MAC Coffee eyeliner and Strut Eyebrow pencil, across the nose and cheek area. At Jean Pierre Bragazna, MACs Make up director, Barber, focused his attention on long, full lashes. 
And lots of them- including a full set of strips on the bottom lashes. The rest of the make up was keep subtle- light gloss on eyes and a nude cream lip. 
The modern 70's vibe is very under-stated, expressing our natural beauty with simple definition around the eyes. An easy trend to follow at home!

Paul Smith

Talking of 70's disco, gold glitter was once again dancing down the catwalk, as it was in New York. At Micheal Van Der Ham make up artist Lauren Parsons created sophisticated glitter eyes, by pressing MAC gold pigment and glitter onto models eyelids, adding subtle definition with a neutral taupe along the socket line. For added drama you could add lots of black liner, kohl on the waterline and mascara, for the ultimate party make-up.

But spring wouldn't be spring without a hint of pastel. At Peter Pilotto make up artists Lucia Pica dressed models lips with an array of matt pastel tones.  If you fancy a change from the traditional pastel pink, why not dip your toes into a lovely lilac? Try wearing with a sun kissed bronzed glow and muted eye make up. Illamasqua have a great range of lip colour's including a selection of mauve tones- I love Lavender shade Liv.



2 weeks down, 2 to go, and I can't wait to see which make-up gems Milan and Paris have in store in us!

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!