Ombre Locks

For the past 18 months everybody from Kimmy K, Alexa Chung and Drew Barrymore has rocked the ombre hair trend. Leading to the majority of So Coco Rouge clients embracing the trend. 

And boy have I been jealous. Don't get me wrong, I adore my vibrant red locks, but there is something special about those rich chocolate roots gradually toning into caramel blonde ends. 

Before

After lots of thoughts and endless searching on pinterest for 'Red to copper ombre', I brought up the topic with our extremely talented hair Rougette Kelly. We agreed we had never seen a well done red-copper ombre, so thought it was time we showed the world how it was done.

During

For those of you who have never experienced a 5 hour long ombre application, it goes a little like this.... Root colour, vigorous back combing, bleach foils applied to ends, crying in pain as backcombing combed out, final toner applied to end colour, cries of joy at your gorgeous new locks!

Can't beat a good Saturday night Blow Dry!

Now, I just have the job of keeping these locks looking so luscious every single day.

Anyone fancy hiring me a live in hairdresser?!

After

Sparkling New Smile

For a few years now, I have been desperate to have my teeth whitened. But for some reason fear has always got in the way. Well, fear and a lack of funds- it's always seemed just that bit out of budget.

But, recently, we decided to rent our gorgeous little beauty room at So Coco Rouge out to fellow beauty professionals, such as dental nurses.

This weekend, the lovely Lauren from Sparkling Smiles joined the salon for a day of teeth whitening- and I jumped at the chance of being first in the hot seat.

Firstly, Lauren and I discussed the procedure and compared my teeth to the shade guide. It was decided I was shade 18- which thankfully was around average. So all that coffee drinking hasn't done me too much damage then!

Next, Lauren protected my gums with a paint on gum shield, before applying the whitening accelerator and placing my mouth beneath an LED lamp for 20 minutes. Ipod in, Kasabian playing and a chance to catch up on 20 winks it was.

This process was repeated again, leaving my teeth noticeably whiter and brighter, (I'd actually jumped to shade 6!!), so obviously I was one happy bunny!

Lauren is back in the salon on the evening of Thursday May 29th. Her services cost £59 per person, or two people for £99. You can book in by calling the salon on 0151 708 7245.

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! 

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!

Make-up International Magazine

A good few months ago now, I was briefly interviewed by the lovely people at Make-up International magazine, who wanted to know why I decided to start this blog and what changes I have seen in the industry of late.

It suddenly struck me, that having been in the beauty industry for ten years now, that A LOT has changed since I started down my chosen path. There was no Facebook, no Twitter, no Instagram, and in fact, the first contact I made with production companies was via written letter, with a composition card enclosed, enabling them to see my work immediately. 

I couldn't even tell you the last time I sent a letter, an email with a portfolio link, is now far easier and quicker than depending on the good old Royal Mail.

When I left the School of Make-up back in 2006, it was so important to have a network of fellow new artists as friends and this is exactly how I met my So Coco Rouge business partner, Robyn. After all, if you have had a bad day, haven't been paid on time or are having a wobble over which product to use on which job, who else could you turn to? Your lifetime buddy who works in a 9-5 job with a guaranteed income definitely isn't going to understand your woes that's for sure. Yet, nowadays many make-up artist friends are made over the airwaves- of Facebook and Twitter to be precise.

In the past, if I was intrigued by the latest products, I would have bought the item myself, walking blindly into a costly purchase. Now? I research the item online, read industry expert blogs and even send a tweet out asking for reviews. It's the same with techniques. Instagram has not only helped the consumer, but those step-by-step images can also inspire us professionals, especially when we find ourselves stuck in an ideas rut. 

I can still remember my tutor, Elaine Jones, explaining the latest change in TV, High Definition and how air applied make-up was gradually being introduced. Which was to the despair of some well established artists, who were much happier applying cosmetics with fingers and sponges, let alone an a brush or an airbrush. 

Now more than ever, I can see why we need to constantly follow trends, product developments and train in the latest techniques. After all, if we don't keep up surely we'll easily slip behind.

You can read the full interview in Issue 11 of Make-up International, available here. 

Evo Fabuloso Colour Intensifying Conditioner

As much as I love my red locks, the speed at which the vibrancy fades can sometimes leave me considering a much more subdued tone. From using a specialist colour shampoo to the various colour masks I have collected over the years, nothing seems to brighten and deepen my barnett as much as I want.

My latest purchase, Evo Fabuloso Colour Intensifying Conditioner in Copper promises to "achieve a rich copper tone on colour treated hair." Not only does this conditioner enhance colour, it is also helps to reduce frizz, add shine and deeply nourish damaged hair.

Not heard of Evo before? To be honest, the brand only came to my attention last year when we looked for a brand to use at So Coco Rouge, and now it's one we often use on shoots. With uniquely named products, including Love Touch (Shine spray), Liquid Rollers (Curl cream) and Root Canal (Volume spray) and simple, modern packaging alongside products that actually work,  Evo is now a favourite amongst UK hair salons. Founded in Australia in 2004, Evo's "mission is to create innovative, salon only products that are simple, luxurious, effective to use and that make people smile" and I'm pretty sure they have met this mission already.

Available in 7 shades, Fabuloso is seriously simple to apply. Wash hair as normal, towel dry and comb through. Depending on hair length take 4-8 pumps of conditioner (I have shoulder length hair and used 6) and comb through from roots to ends. I focused the majority on the ends, as this is where my colour fades most. Then its time to wait! 3 minutes of shower scrubbing later and its time to rinse!

One blow dry later and my hair is looking much healthier and definitely revived. A great way to quickly enhance your colour for a special occasion, or a valuable bargain to ease the far too regular salon appointments!

Available in 7 shades- Copper, Mahogany, Purple Red, Chestnut, Caramel, Light Beige and Platinum Blonde.

Vintage Beauty Shoot

Earlier this year photographer Michelle Wilson of MSW Photography asked Robyn and I to work with her on a vintage inspired series of images, set within So Coco Rouge. The beautiful Olivia Hunter of Boss Model Management was my model for the day, and was an absolute pleasure to work with. So lovely to see beauty inside and out!

We wanted the images to be inspired by screen icons of the 1940's, with the setting of a backstage dressing room. For a modern twist, we decided to keep Olivia's look simple with luminous skin and swept back hair.

To define Olivia's eyes, I used soft neutral tones, in a variety of shimmer and matte finishes. This technique would be perfect for a naturally beautiful bridal look or special occasion too.
The majority of products I used for this look are from MAC, but you can use any brand you wish. 

1. Sparingly apply MAC Paint Pot in Painterly all over the eye lid and up to the brow bone using your ring finger. This acts as a great base for eyeshadows and creates a gorgeous warm pink tone to the lid. 

2. To highlight the brow shape, apply MAC matte eye shadow Vanilla, to the area imediatly under the arch of the brow and blend well. This creamy tone creates the brow definition we need for a vintage look.

3. Using a tapered or pencil brush (my ultimate favourite is by Charles Fox- no name or number I'm afraid, but its a must have!) apply a warm toned, light taupe like MAC Malt to the centre area of the socket line. Make sure you don't follow the socket shape at the inner and outer corners as this can make the eye appear smaller. 

4. Blend using a small amount of MAC Naked Pigment, a nude shimmer, on a fluffy brush, working upwards towards the blow area.

5. Next, apply MAC Vanilla Pigment to the lower lid in pressing movements on a flat brush, before blending up to the contoured socket line. Apply to the inner corner of the eye too, for the ultimate doe-eyed look.

6. Finish with a fine line of Estee Lauder Stay In Place Gel Liner, 2 coats of black mascara and indivudal lashes in short and medium to the outer corners of the eye.

Coronation Street Gifting Lounge

This really has been a week full of Soap!

On Monday the So Coco Rouge team worked with our friends over at Label PR to pamper the cast and crew of Coronation Street at their Gifting Lounge.

The event was held in the beautiful Rooftop Gardens of Great John Street Hotel which is luckily situated directly opposite the Corrie set -so close we could even see the Kabin!

Throughout the day the lovely ladies (and a few gents too) dropped in to meet us and get their hands on some gorgeous goodies!

We were in excellent company, exhibiting alongside brands such as Simply Be, La Moda, South Beach, Lavish Alice and my personal favourite Rock N Rose.

Sisters Emily-Jane and Jess, who founded Rock N Rose back in 2007, were great fun, and definitely could be adoptive Rougettes!  Rock N Rose are most famous for their Floral Crowns, which often grace the pages of Look and Grazia magazines and are worn by celebrities such as Pixie Lott and Fearne Cotton. And now, even me, after the lovely girls kindly gave me my own, which compliments my red hair beautifully!

The Rougettes in our Floral Crowns

They also showcased a gorgeous selection of jewellery- from oversized bow rings to inverted cross necklaces and cute midi rings! If you like vintage inspired jewellery, quirky sunnies and festival headgear, you really need to take a look at the Rock N Rose website!

The Corrie Cast with their goodies!

Anyway, first through the door was the stunning Samia Ghadie, who plays hairdresser Maria, and her friendly manner set the tone for the rest of the day! Definitely no diva behavior here!

During the day we also had lots of fun with the lovely Jennie McAlpine (Fiz), Georgia May Foote (Katy) and Kate Ford (Tracey). Plus, we even met soap royalty Barbara Knox, who plays Rita! 

We cannot wait to give all the Corrie girls a full on pamper at the So Coco Rouge salon before their next trip down the red carpet!

The Corrie cast at the So Coco Rouge Stand

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!

BBC The Voice

The lovely Alice, who is best known for playing the role of Rae in channel 4 soap Hollyoaks, had been a regular client at So Coco Rouge for well over a year, when she asked us to work with her on a very exciting project!

A little known fact about Alice is that she is a very talented vocalist, before she landed her Hollyoaks role, her talent had even been spotted by the X Factor judge and music mogul Louis Walsh!

Taking the decision to focus on her music career, Alice successfully applied for BBC's The Voice - and that's where we come in! Prior to her audition and interview, I traveled to the new BBC studios at Salford's Media City to ensure Alice looked like the star she is. And what fun we had!

Alice and I agreed that she should appear naturally flawless, but with a soft smokiness around her eyes and a pretty pink sheen to her lips.

Make-up Forever HD foundation has been a kit staple of mine for around 3 years now- the medium to full coverage and fine texture make it perfect for HD TV work, and ideal for Alice. A minimal amount of Kryolan Derma Colour was used beneath this to conceal any uneven areas of pigmentation. Finished with a light dusting of MUFE HD powder to minimise shine.

Alice has beautifully shaped eyes and she can pull off the strongest of eye make-up's, but today we kept the centre of the eyelid neutral, sweeping MAC Naked Pigment over the area for a pretty sheen. To extenuate her socket line, I blended MAC Malt eyeshadow, adding a touch of MAC Vanilla (matte) eyeshadow immediately beneath her brow. Creating soft smokiness was simple- using MAC limited edition shadow Show Shopper (Dark flat brown) on a MAC 239 to the outer corner, blending into the outer 1/3 of the socket line using a MAC 217 in circular movements. Finished with a slick of Estee Lauder Double Wear gel liner in Onyx, blending the outer edge into the darker shadow, and individual lashes.

A little bronzer, a touch of peachy blush to the apples of her cheeks and a pink  toned lipgloss, and Alice's Voice make-up was complete!

That's all I can say on Alice's Voice journey- but keep watching to follow her story!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4mrFf_uyAo

Phillip Kingsley Elasticizer

Like the majority of girls I know, I am currently growing my hair. Unlike most girls however, I am feeling like Rapunzel with my shoulder sweeping locks.

After around 4 years of rocking anything from a super short elfin crop to a chin length bob, I decided to finally bite the bullet and adopt a softer, longer look. For a girl who used to see her hairdresser more frequently than some of her own family, avoiding the chop was going to prove difficult. Nothing used to please me more than seeing heaps of red hair on the cutting room floor, and hear the gasps of the extension obsessed girls next to me, on a 4-6 weekly basis.

To the surprise of those around me (and to be fair, me included) I have (so far) grown my hair with ease. The usual 'hitting of the shoulder' moment passed by without the emergency call to the salon, demanding it was swiftly taken back to its resting place on my ear. And now, 16 months on, it casually sits on my collar bone, happy as Larry.

So far, so good. BUT. I am, after all a RED HEAD. And unfortunately, not a natural born one.

If, I could happily embrace my bland, dull, mousey toned hair, I'm sure it would be in mint condition. Dying it on a very regular basis, and not having the very frequent chops I was used to, had left my hair needing a bit of TLC.

This is where two very important things came into my life. 

1. Kelly, hairdresser extraordinaire at So Coco Rouge

2. Phillip Kingsley Elasticizer

Firstly, working alongside Kelly has proved a god send to my locks. Within hours of her moving in full time, she grasped my barnet in her talented hands and prescribed me a gorgeous new red hue, minus the damage!

Then, Trichologist and genius behind the brand, Phillip Kingsley, came into my life at the QVC Beauty Bash in January. The lovely PK team are great friends with the OPI family, and as the new recruit, they welcomed me with lots of goodies to try!

Here's what the PK team say about their hero product 'Elasticizer- Pre Shampoo Treatment' 

 Healthy hair stretches when wet before returning to its original length when dry.

However hair in poor condition snaps and breaks when stretched. Intensely moisturising Elasticizer delivers a rush of moisture to the hair’s cuticle; suppleness, elasticity and bounce appear instantly without weighing down or coating the hair.

Suitable for all hair types, I was recommended that my colour treated, medium textured hair would require treating once a week. Even busy (or lazy?!) girls like me can work that into their beauty routine!

Simply dampen hair (I used either a spray bottle a la hairdresser style, or tipped my locks into the bathroom sink- oh the glamour) and apply Elasticizer thoroughly in sections. This fragrance free cream, has a similar consistancy to a rich body lotion, and feels highly moisturising.

Once you have worked the treatment into your hair, and combed through using a wide toothed comb, its time to wait it out!

PK recommend leaving the treatment for a minimum of ten minutes- which I guess most people would do whilst in the shower. I on the other hand, decided to rock the provided PK shower cap and enjoy watching the soaps before removing. 

Rinse well, before shampooing as normal, preferably with the Phillip Kingsley product for your hair type. Follow with conditioner- if like me you suffer with oily roots, apply a minimal amount to mid lengths and ends only.

Even whilst wet, my hair felt smoother and in much better condition. 

After blow drying (which, on my own hair, I will be the first to admit, I'm not the best at) my hair had a lovely sheen, and my ends less frizzy.

I have now been using Elatiscizer for 3 months, and although the condition of my hair hasn't improved massively from the initial application, I still feel the same smoothing benefit after every use. If you use the entire PK range (shampoo, conditioner, tonic etc) I am sure you will see a greater benefit than I have experienced.

Costing £27.50, this isn't a cheap product for an initial outlay- but- I have had 12 applications from one tub, which works out as under £2.50 per treatment. 

Much cheaper than a weekly treatment at the salon!

My last word? Definitely a great buy for budding Rapunzels like moi. 

(Especially those with a bad colour habit without a Kelly in their life!!)

Transforming Hollyoaks to Hollywood at So Coco Rouge

Well this is a very over-due blog post!! 
It's been a busy few months, with me working between London and in Liverpool at So Coco Rouge, so please excuse by lack of blogging!

Being Liverpool based, at So Coco Rouge, we are lucky to count some of the locals from Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks as regulars. From the Soap Awards to cast parties, the girls know where to come when they are in need of a bit of pampering!

 Last Friday, the gorgeous Bianca Hendrickse-Spendlove, celebrated leaving the soap, by holding a 'Dead Celebrities' party at a local Liverpool club. This meant for lots of fun for the So Coco Rouge team who had the task of transforming Bianca and her fellow cast members Jessica Forrest and Alice Barlow into their Hollywood disguises!

Jessica Forrest as Marilyn Monroe and
 Bianca Hendrickse Spendlove as Cleopatra

Alice Barlow as Anna Nicole Smith

At the 2012 Inside Soap Awards, Karen Hassan, took the purse savvy decision to recycle one of her fellow cast members dresses, wearing a backless gold sequined number. SCR Co-owner and make-up artist, Robyn carried the golden tones into Karen's eye make-up, enhancing her eye shape with a soft smokiness to the outer corners, finished with lots of liner and lashes. Make-up Forever HD foundation mixed with a little of Benefit's Moon Beam ensured Karen's skin was flawless with a natural golden glow. Natural glossy lips and softly waved hair, which Karen later pulled into a pony tail completed her look.

Karen Hassan on the Red carpet.

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!