THE BASE by LARA BINGLE

For so many Aussie girls there seems to be a long battle finding a makeup routine that encompasses all of their needs.. a skin product that is natural, easy & quick to apply and lasts all day.

Well, I myself have been searching for this kind of product too! Well.. maybe I have rolled this in with my obsession of buying lots of makeup and eagerly trying it as well!

And finally I have found it!

Long after having Ms Bingle in my inspo folder and watching her develop this brand of tanning & bronzing products, I jumped on her website where I was massively surprised to see the price point of her products! Nope, not an overly expensive product encased in fancy packaging- rather a super well priced product, packaged in simple yet an edgy dark matte bronze.

Upon arrival I was impressed with all of it! I have been regularly using her LB Cream (A$24) since, a super wearable tinted moisturiser. What I love about it is, unlike other BB creams or tinted moisturiser it blends easily, dries quickly and feels fantastic on the skin.

So it has quickly taken over my daily routine! I apply it with my duo fibre stippling brush,  then using the same brush to apply her liquid matte bronzer (A$24) to my contours- to bronze my face and add dimension; this is a great way to apply bronzer to the skin as it is easily blended and doesn't leave that muddy, heavy finish that most powder bronzers give. I again use the same brush to pop the liquid illuminating cream (A$24) on the tops of my cheek bones, down the bridge of my nose and on my cupids bow.

With so many of you asking for my recommendation for an easy, effective and well priced product- this range definitely gets my approval!

http://www.thebase.me/

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THIS MOTHER'S DAY.. PAMPER YO MUMMA!

Mother's Day is just around the corner and I know you want to spoil your mum with a gift that's going to knock her socks off!

Remind her just how beautiful she really is and pamper her with a Mother's Day Makeup gift voucher. There are two amazing offers to choose from:

• Make Me Up Session: $100 - If your mum has an upcoming party, wedding or work event, why not shout her a glam look for the special occasion. Not only will she look a million bucks, but she'll feel relaxed and pampered too.

• One-on-One Lesson: $150 - She'll receive a full skin and makeup consultation with recommendations on beauty regimes and products to enhance her skin and highlight her best features. Plus I'll provide some handy tips and tricks on how to recreate the look at home herself.

Simply email info@hilaryholmes.com.au with your name, contact details, your mum's name and which gift voucher you would like to purchase and you're on your way to becoming her favourite daughter. You'll receive the gift voucher in electronic form to print out and slip in with your Mother's Day card.

Got a mother-in-law to pamper? Purchase two gift vouchers and receive 15% off the total price.

All gift vouchers are valid for 12 months. To redeem the voucher and make a booking, email me at info@hilaryholmes.com.au and I'll be in touch with further details!

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THE UNDOING OF MAKEUP

With social media playing such a huge part of our visual world, we can access the work of so many creatives. Painters, poets, printers, makeup artists, hairstylists and so on.. And with this amazing accessibility we judge someone quickly on their skill and easily compare it to another.

I find this area interesting. Of course its natural for us to compare and judge based on our own opinions but we must understand more than just whats in front of us.

Ive been a makeup artist for close to 10 years and in that time my techniques have evolved, expanded and more importantly.. softened.

Learning makeup in London was interesting and fun! It was here, surrounded by different cultures that I learnt how to do very structured, dramatic makeup. Arabic women taught me bold eyeliners; the Jewish taught me how to prolong the wear of my makeups; the English taught me how to glam out makeup the "Kimmy K" way; the Indians & Bangladeshis taught me about bright colour combos and the Africans taught me about the use of texture and finishing on the skin.

When I came back to Melbourne, this type of work was still very much appreciated but I noticed quickly that aussie women love a natural makeup! So this then took me on the journey of learning to "undo" my makeups.

Have a look at any red carpet moments by celebs.. the makeup is pretty, soft and easy.

When I used to view the work of a famous makeup artist I would be surprised at the little makeup they put on, what seemed to be so untechnical and lacking skill. What I have come to know now though, is that a women is most beautiful when she is herself.. and if being herself means full coverage foundation, super contoured & highlighted with lots of lashes then Im all in, and I have the skills to take them there, but if a woman feels comfortable wearing minimal makeup- stepping back from the brush and making the quality of my makeup application spot on.. then sit down in my chair..

Im all yours.

xx H xx

The work shown here in by me :))

Second image: photo credit Ines Zele

IVORY TRIBE

With lots of exciting things happening with HILARY HOLMES MAKEUP at the moment, I'm excited to share my involvement with a new online wedding environment called the Ivory Tribe!

Between their website www.ivorytribe.com.au & their other social media platforms on instagram & pinterest (found as Ivory Tribe) the three lovely girls behind it all aim to inspire brides and also provide them with the best of all bridal services for Geelong & the Surfcoast.

You can find me via this link! www.ivorytribe.com.au/thetribe_page/hilary-holmes

Continue to check in with them to see any creative work I may do with them and find lots of inspo to make your wedding planning a whole lot easier xxxx

THE SKIN YOU'RE IN

The bathroom mirror, the dreaded foe to all. The one mirror we cant hide from. 

We may be able to turn off selfie mode, avoid the rear view mirror and walk with our head down as we pass big reflecting windows of shop fronts; but its the mirror we cant avoid- the one we have to look in as we brush our teeth or walk in front of, as we exit the shower. 

Sure it has its good moments- it has the best light for plucking those rugs we like to call our brows, two weeks past the time you should of had them threaded; it tells you the truth about how poorly you applied your tinted moisturiser for work (thankfully saved you from walking out with streaks all over your face!) but inevitably the truth can sometimes hurt.

Blackheads, uneven skin, pimples, lines, little bumps under the surface, wrinkles, big pores, redness, dry skin or the oil slick you cant avoid. Its all there, staring aggressively back.

I have so many clients who feel as though this is simply their skin, that it can't be changed. Oh but you can!

I work super hard at my skin, as in super hard. Sure, I may have times where that bathroom mirror tells me I've slacked, but in all honesty- when I'm on my A-game, so is my skin.

Im going to give you some tips, right here.. right now.

Some may be a cheaper alternative and some may be exy, but some solutions require a more expensive treatment; as it simply is the best one.

So over the course of the next few months Im going to give you the best tips on how to combat your fear of said mirror and arm you with the best defence.. amazing skin that will show it who's boss.

First up... we are dragging our sad booties into winter and with that our summer glow slips away and confronted with winter chills and dry skin. So let me give you the best options for you to turn and negative into a positive!

WATER.

Yep, that good ole thing that comes out of a tap or bottle for a super cheap price. It is the cheapest and a super affective tool to plump, hydrate and smooth the skin. If you have oily skin, it will have no impact on oil production!

Set yourself a goal to drink three litres a day for a month and you'd be lying if you didn't say it had a huge impact! This is one of the main things I tell my brides to focus on in the lead up to their big day.

From here I'm going to break down cheap to more expensive options for skin care into skin types:

Dry Skin

Water

Exfoliating skin care 

- natural option: Aesop tea tree leaf exfoliant $40

- super budget: Mix some bicarb soda into your cleanser! $2

- cheap option: St Ives exfoliator  $11

- middle option: MAC Volcanic Ash exfoliator $37

- splurge option: REN micro polish $40

Hydrate with a great moisturiser

- natural option: Origins Make A Difference + $70

- cheap option: Simple Rich moisturiser $12

- middle option: Clinique Moisture Surge Intense $65

- splurge option: La Mer Creme $410  

Clarisonic. I use this and it is amazing at resurfacing the skin!!! Only use it twice a week for the best results!! I LOVE IT!! And one of the biggest selling beauty products worldwide. An amazing investment. $285

I could chat about skin for ever, for so many reasons. Whether it was for the best skin for days off, sans makeup or for people like me telling you that good makeup starts with great skin! The better your skin is, the more amazing you'll look- regardless if you wear a BB cream or if you wear 18 layers of full coverage foundation!!

After all- makeup can only work with what you have! And great skin is the basis of great beauty.

X Hilary X

PRODUCT ALERT!

I love Australian women's approach to makeup- glowy, fresh and minimal. Sure we all love a bit of a sexy smokey eye on the right occasion, but I can't tell you how wonderful it is hearing from clients “I want to look like me!”.

And so with that I will arm you with an easy skin product that will emphasis natural finishes, enhance the look and feel of your skin and be super easy to apply! Sound too good to be true? Nope. And even better.. its only $42. Yep!

MAC’s BB cream is a great all rounder. I wear this beauty for day time.. an easy use your fingers approach with minimal blending needed! It gives me a soft radiance, through the light optical diffusers and reflective particles. Its not super oily, so good for dry, oily and combo skin!!

X Hilary X

It's Giveaway Time....

After a two year long hiatus, my blog has come out of hibernation. And so to celebrate and coincide with you Easter bunnies and beauties, I have announced an Instagram competition to win an entire Hilary Holmes makeup look - worth over $500!

The prize package includes everything from bronzer to blush, to eyes to lips. All products by MAC Cosmetics.

To enter:
1. Simply repost this image OR upload your own selfie via your instagram account showing off your favourite bright lipstick
2. Tag @hilaryholmesmakeup
3. Hashtag #hilaryholmesmakeupgiveaway

The winner will be drawn on Easter Monday 6th April at 6pm EST.

Good luck!!! X

 

COLOUR ME SEXY!

Australian women love many things. A glass of wine at the end of a long working week, summer breezes on a hot day and amoungst many other naughty pleasures, the one that often gives the most is lipsticks... Boy do they love lipsticks! And so often women mention to me the difficulty in knowing which colours suit them. So Im going to help a little!

Im going to be using MAC lipsticks as my examples.. Why? Because they have the biggest range, theyre well priced and they have something for everybody!

Lets start with chatting about textures first.. Textures are what decides how WOW you want to go with your lippy. Its all about the coverage of pigment on the lips that what gives it that bolder finish. If you want that softer wash of colour on the lip- then something with a higher shine or gloss. This will mute a colour down. If you go for a matte, the colour pigment will be at its fullest and so will give a "heavier" affect.

Though in saying that, something with higher shine wont last as long as a matte.. but a matte will dry out the lip faster than a lustre. There are also in between finishes, which to a degree can give you a bit of love from both finishes..

If you want to wear a bold lip but don't want to dive straight in, go for a lustre.. a soft sheer wash of colour with a slight sheen.. a good way to feel confident without feeling as though everyone is looking at you!

Ok so now to some colour! Im going to break the colours down in different posts and first up....

RED!

First question I ask is: what kind of red do you want? A sexy red? A pop of red? Or a natural soft red?

Sexy Reds


Russian Red

A beautifully rich blue based red which is really sexy on the fairer ladies but goes brighter as the wearers colouring gets darker!

Chili

For the Olive toned ladies who may or may not also have auburn/red hair and for the older ladies not wanting anything to crazy. An orange based creamy matte! I love wearing this colour also when I want to wear a day time red but nothing too out there..

VIVA GLAM 1

A deeper brown based matte red.. uber sexy! Oh, and apart of the Viva Glam range so 100% of the proceeds go towards MAC's HIV/AIDS fund.. yay!

 

 

Pops of Red


Ruby Woo

This retro matte is so popular amoungst women across the world- is has its own texture! A retro matte essentially is a matte but has an extra kick in the matte department. What is its strength is also its weakness. People love it for its ability to stay on and last and others complain that it can be drying, Regardless, this lipstick is cool and works with everyone! This bright, blue based red is great for those coffee drinkers wanting a brighter smile or for anyone looking for a fun lippy. And if its fun youre after... you need go no further.

Lady Danger

Ok, ok.. calm down! Yes this is the lipstick that EVERYONE is talking about. The colour that has a waiting list at MAC and the colour I get asked about all the time.

This colour is an orange based red, very bright and has a lovely creamy texture. Works on everyone, so if you have the confidence to wear a lippy that has some kick... live dangerously and wear this one..

Natural Reds

Lady Bug

Ok, i totally get it- you want the look but not the punch. You want the wow, but not the wowzers. A red that is quite natural is hard to come by so Lady Bug is a great soft, sheer orange based red that is easy to wear and not too full on.

A great one for those wanting to start out slow or for those wanting some colour for day wear but nothing too crazy! With its lustre texture this lippy is also great at keeping the lip hydrated and shiny!

So, I hope you this has helped you on your quest to finding your perfect red. A lipstick is like a pair of shoes, once you find a pair that fit perfectly and show off all your assets.. youll never take them off!

X

Some shots from the 2012/13 bridal season...

Well, I can honestly say that now, after my first bridal season back in oz is now coming to a close.. I was shocked that I was booked out for 8 months solid!!

Was amazing, fun, eye-opening and definately tiring!! haha

Here are a couple of shots from some of the stunning brides I had the immense pleasure to work with..

Already booking out fast for this coming season, so am super excited for more beautiful brides xx

Im LOVING

Alot of my clients ask me what are the standard products that I love and use everytime I apply makeup..

MACs Prep & Prime Highlighters are, in no word of a lie.. THE SHIZZ.

There are a few uses for these pens. For the peeps that dont have huge issues with undereye darkness, you can use these purely, as I do, as a concealer. These are alot more light weight so using this product wont empahisise wrinkles!

As we all know..( ok you might not know, but my points is- you need to know! ) you should never put foundation around your eyes.. its far too heavy a product to apply on the delicate skin around your eye. So using this product in foundations place will do all the right things!

For those that do have underyeye darkness, theres a big rule that you must be aware of! And that is.. ALWAYS USE A WARM, PINK OR PEACH BASED COLOUR CORRECTOR UNDER THE EYE. This will, very importantly, colour correct the violet tones to prevent it looking ashy or green.
If you do find, after using concealer that you eye area looks ashy/grey or green, then its too light and not correcting it!

Now, for my favourite use for these pens is to create a glam contour to the face. Below are some varying degrees of highlighting with the pens.. Kim Kardashian is an extreme example (but awesome ;) ).. The picture below is an explanation by renowned makeup artist Scott Barnes on exactly where to highlight and contour.





Below are some variations on the different levels of highlighting and contouring.. from more natural to more dramatic:

 

 

 

 

Almost a full year and I'M BACK!

My gosh, well firstly- sorry! Its been far too long and I have had far too many people nagging me to return to this baby, so Im letting go of all the guilt for not nurturing my babes and Ill be seeing you a hella lot more!!

 

I was so in love with updating this blog with all my likes, loves & adventures but upon my arrival home to Oz things got a bit cray cray!! So, as I write this I am winding up my first bridal season since being back home and I have been booked solid for the past 8 months and am so happy (and just a tad tired).

 

Ive been floored by how much fun Ive had with some amazing brides & lovely people- so I would love to share my knowledge.. my inspo..all the fun I have with MAC & all the good little bits in between!

 

So this is just a "Hey, wazzup. Im back!" post. Cant wait to post some really awesome stuff!

 

Hilary xx

Freelance!

Had the absolute pleasure in doing Miss Ailie's makeup for her wedding day for herself and her stunning bridal party. Clearly, she only hangs out with models... ;)

Products used for the day for Ailie were:
Face & Body Foundation
Moisture Cover concealer
Mineralise powder
Peaches blush
Eyeshadows: Tete a Tint, Texture, Embark and Naked pigment (also used for facial highlight)
Fluidline Blacktrack
False Lash mascara
Fling brow pencil
And shygirl on the lips.

The bridesmaids used the same products, but I adjusted the style according to their own and the features.

Face & Body Foundation and some Sculpt.
Moisture Cover concealer
Careblend powder
Blushbaby blush
Eyeshadows: Vanilla, Naked Lunch, Haux, Emabrk
Blacktrack
Opulash mascara
Syrup lipstick
Naked pigment as highlight
Spiked, lingering and fling brow pencils.

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