PINK

Seemingly, as summer steadily approaches and idea of hot balmy nights excites me, I am also excited about one particular colour...pink.

The looks available to wear with pink these next few seasons are endless... whether you decide to go for a bold and daring neon pink (as discussed in the 'Quite Cute' post a few weeks back), a hotpink lip- the perfect accompaniment to beautifully natural, dewy skin.. using 'Show Orchid' or 'Girl About Town' by MAC or for a much subtler, romantic look..go for a soft wash of colour...


Girl About Town

For day to day looks or even for a night where you dont feel like having too much imapct with your look- you would just rather compliment your floral dress, having a tinted lip conditioner on the lip may be all you need.. I use religiously 'Fuchia Fix' by MAC or another colour 'Petting Pink' for a prettier affect.

   
Petting Pink

Make sure you understand the benefit of highlighting your face. The planes of your face must be always empahasised, and if you feel- like me, that you dont necessarily have amazing strength to your features..fake it! Using contouring and highlighting on the face is so important, and when I have lessons with clients- its almost the number one rule I insist on when it comes to their makeup. I have discussed contouring before (just go to the contouring tab at the bottom of the page), but something that it totally intoxicating me at present is the heavy use of highlights. To give your skin a beautifully glowy look, allowing your skin to scream "Look how healthy and natural I am!!".. use products that have a wetter consistency. I have previously raved about MAC's 'Soft & Gentle' highlight powder, but try something new- MAC's Cream Colour Bases or a highlighting gel/liquid.. pat the product softly on the highest points of your cheekbones..and arch it around up to your temple and above your brow bone, stopping just before your brow arch. Other places to highlight are the bridge of your nose, your cupids bow (middle of top lip) and your chin.

Other products which can help tie in the look is some soft pink blush on the apples of your cheeks. Ones I would recommend are:

Darker skin: MACs Dollymix, Benefits Coralista
Medium: MACs Fleur Power, Nars Orgasm
Light: MAC's Pink Swoon, MACs Blushbaby or Benefits Thrrob


Orgasm

On the eyes- go for a nude eye or a nude with just a slight tint of pink.. and make sure you add just a really fine line of liquid liner along the top lash, to frame it or for an even more natural look- omit the liner and use a brown eyeshadow and smudge into the lash line to frame the eye. To top it off, use a mascara which will define and lengthen, but wont clump or bulk up the lash..remember, its all about a soft, delicate look.


Ellie Saab S/S11


Valentino S/S 11


Chanel Cruise Show 11-12

X

MET BALL 2011

One of the biggest events on the fashion calender, the Met Ball in New York hosts the whos who of fashion and celebrity royalty. Each year a designer is partnered with a celebrity who not only is a massive fan of their work, it is someone the designer is inspired by.

As expected Anna Wintour, accompanied by her daughter Bee, is wearing Chanel couture. Karl Lagerfeld partnered his muse of the moment Blake Lively from Gossip girl, who like so many chose to wear a neutral shade.Other trends seen were a many a sequin, crystal and detail; metallics, block colours, silks and thigh high splits.

Makeup was varied, with a number of people choosing smokey eyes- to compliment the metallics and heavy details in their dress; bronze eyes and contours; and beautifully dewy, flawless skin. Lips were kept clean, with soft washes of oranges, reds and nudes were extremely popular! Except for the minority, most kept their makeup clean, simple and effective... Softly lined eyes and lots of mascara.

Hair was mostly keep carefree and down. Soft tousled waves were all that was needed.. Loved all the hair/head accessories!

FAVOURITE DRESSES





Love House of Harlows headgear and accessories above!



This girl is always a fav of mine. She doesnt give a shit,
and always plays by her rules <3





Isabel not only has the name I want, but the
boyfriend, the cheekbones and the dress sense.
Give me all of them and your head dress please!!



Her clutch is perfect, as is the fit of that stunning dress..



Alexa! I giggle everytime I see her on a red carpet event.
She makes simplicity an art. Knows what she likes, and
works her butt off in such a carefree way- makes you want
be her.

MAKEUP I HEART



Not because this look blows me away, but because
the entire look makes a cool statement. Gennifer is
bang on trend and works it effortlessly. Her skin looks
amazing!



No reason in particular- I just think shes stunning.
The makeup perfectly compliments the dress..



Liv looks just a stunning as she did 10 years ago.
Effortless chic.



Not a huge fan of the dress, but a MASSIVE
fan of the makeup. Mary Kate is a perfect example
on how to make a smokey eye sexy.. by grading it out.



No one can ever blame the girl for not taking risks,
and the Met Ball is the place to do it. The hair is great up top, until
the plait comes down to her bum. Ew. Love the makeup though!

The light and shade...

One trick of the trade that every makeup artist uses and sometimes you do as well (sometimes without thinking!) is contouring.

Whether its to slim down a rounder face, chisel out the cheekbones, narrow and shape a nose or change the demensions of a face, contouring is a really important step when doing your makeup. Below are some examples of contouring- from the extremes to everyday wear..

                                                           Vivienne Westwoood RTW

Kim Kardashian

Preen NYFW SS 2011

To ensure your contouring your face shape correctly .. analyse your face first! Stand in front of the mirror and assess your angles. Have you got a round, square, oval or heart shape? Have you round cheeks or a long jawline? Have you a wide forehead or a wider jaw, in comparison to the rest of your face?

Like I have mentioned before, when you put a darker colour on your face it takes back that area. When you put a lighter or highlighting colour on, it will illuminate it and bring it forward. So use this theory when applying your bronzer.

To lean out your face take your bronzer or darker powder and sculpt out your cheekbones by shaping the colour from the top of your ear down towards the corner of your mouth. By pressing the brush into this area you can feel where your cheekbones are. Dont but this darker colour on the cheekbone.

If you have a wide forehead, narrow it by applying the bronzer to your temples. If you have a high forehead, brush the colour along hairline (notice the first two images above has been done this way).

For someone who wants to slim down and define their nose brush the bronzer from the underside of your eyebrow at the top of your nose and shade down the side of your nose, rounding the brush around the underside of the tip of your nose. Any part you find protrudes more, shade the colour in that area further.

For those like me who wants to define their jaw more, shade under the jawline.

And now to highlighting! Highlight areas include.. Highest point of your cheeks (imagine an C from outside point of the end of your eyebrow down to underneath the eye on the cheekbone. Put highlight down the bridge of your nose, in the corner of your eye, on your cupids bow (centre section on the top of your lip) and depending on your eyeshape, underneath your eybrow.

BEST MAC PRODUCTS TO USE:

Bronzers:

Refined Golden

Mineralised Skin Finish in Medium Dark (or 1-2 shades darker then your normal shade)

Blush:

Tenderling

Coppertone

Cubic

Highlighters: 

Vanilla Pigment (so so versatile..)

Soft and Gentle Mineral Highlighter

Gold Deposit (Dark skins)

Shell Cream Base

If you have dark skin and find it almost impossible to find a bronzer to help contour, depending on your shade, try a mineralised skin finish, Deeper Refined bronzer. And if your skin is very dark; try Carbon or Embark eyshadow!

Hope you find this works for you, because trust! Its an amazing tool to use in your makeup routine (and once used to it, takes virtually no time..)

Love xx