A few of my favourite S/S 12 looks.. and how to achieve them!

Jeremy Scott

“Daisy Duke goes to Paradise City” – Val Garland

FACE
Charged Water Face & Body Lotion (available Spring/Summer 2012) — hydrates and perfects skin
Face & Body Foundation — applied lightly to even skintone
Studio Finish Concealer — applied as needed to perfect
Mineralize Skinfinish Natural Foundation — blended over “hot spots” through the middle of the face
Preferred Pink and Fully Ripe Lip Quad Palette (available Spring/Summer 2012) — blended on the cheeks for a doll-like shape
Immortal Flower Powder Blush (available Spring/Summer 2012) — dusted over the cheeks to set
Cork and Burgundy Lip Pencils and Coffee Eye Pencil — applied to the cheeks to create freckles, alternating tones to give depth and dimension

EYE
M·A·C Pro Black Crème Liner — applied on the upper eyelid with a slightly winged tip, thicker in the center, and very tight to the inner corner of the eye.
Additionally applied straight across the lower eyelid, leaving a space between the lower lashes and line
Coffee Eye Pencil — applied with 266 Small Angle Brush through the socket and blended with 219 Pencil Brush
Dazzlelight Eye Shadow — applied with intensity through the inner corner to highlight with 219 Pencil Brush
43 Lash — applied over the upper lashes
Zoomblack Mascara — blended through the upper lashes and 43 Lash
Haute & Naughtly Black Mascara — applied to the lower lashes, powdered with translucent powder, then re-applied once again for a “Dusty Springfield” effect

LIP
In Synch Lip Pencil — blended over the entire lip
Enchantee Kissable Lip Colour (available Spring/Summer 2012) — applied over the lip to finish

 

The Blonds

“Think Raquel Welch, Ursula Andress and Barbara Eden in I Dream of Jeannie” – Kabuki

FACE
Mineralize Charged Water Face & Body Lotion (available Spring/Summer 2012) — applied with fingers to hydrate and smooth skin
Matchmaster SPF 15 Foundation — applied with fingers to achieve a medium-full coverage and natural matte finish to skin
Select Cover-Up — chosen in a lighter shade and blended down the nose and under the eyes with 195 Concealer Brush for a highlight
Prep + Prime Transparent Finishing Powder — dusted all over the entire face with 116 Blush Brush to set
M·A·C Pro Shadester Sculpting Powder Pro Palette — blended under cheekbones and over temples to contour with 116 Blush Brush
Immortal Flower Powder Blush (available Spring/Summer 2012) — blended over the apples of cheeks with 168 Large Angled Contour Brush for a flush

EYE
Untitled Paint — blended onto the eyelid as a base and highlight with 195 Concealer Brush
Blacktrack Fluidline — a thick line was drawn on the upper lashline, through the crease, winged upwards, and lined underneath
the eye with both the 266 Small Angle Brush and 210 Precise Eyeliner Brush
M·A·C Pro Shadester Sculpting Powder Pro Palette — applied with 224 Tapered Blending Brush to contour the inner crease and down
the sides of the nose to accentuate the entire shape of eye
36 Lash — trimmed and stacked on the outer corners of the eyes
Optimum Black Opulash Mascara — applied through the upper lashes
Lingering Brow and Duck Powerpoint Eye Pencil — blended together to define and sculpt the brows

LIP
Flamingo Lipstick (available Spring/Summer 2012) — blended over the entire lip from the bullet
Stripdown Lip Pencil — applied to define and enhance the fullness of lips

Donna Karan

“A sporty, sexy eighties Yasmin Le Bon” – Charlotte Tilbury

FACE
Charged Water Face & Body Lotion (available Spring/Summer 2012) — hydrates and prepares skin
Face & Body Foundation — applied in tones matching the chest in order to warm up the skin
Select Cover-Up — lightly applied only where needed to even skintone
M·A·C Pro Mid-Tone Sepia Cream Colour Base — applied with 168 Large Angled Contour Brush under the cheekbones for a soft contour
Luna Cream Colour Base — applied to upper cheekbones for a highlight

EYE
Luna Cream Colour Base — lightly applied to the eyes with fingers above bare lashes
Hodgepodge Lip Pencil — used to create freckles just under the eyes

LIP
Bittersweet Pro Longwear Lip Pencil — defines the lip line with a bit of a pointed bow
M·A·C Pro Full Chocolate and Most Mocha Lipsticks — mixed together and applied to the lips with 231 Small Shader Brush

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Florence on the January 2012 Vogue UK

The lovely Florence working those tones perfectly for Vogue UK. Shot by Mario Testino and makeup by, of course, Val Garland.

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What Ive been waiting for..

This editorial spread from the December 2011 Marie Claire South Africa is perfect... The use of light and shade on the face is incredible. I love the pastel lip colour, a disconnected liner (massive fav of mine for a while now..) and the highlighting and contouring- really creates a strong visual. Team that with Va Va Voom hair, a gappy tooth and you have yourself a 60's Barbarella look. HAWT!









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Photos: Oracle Fox

Tumblr love...

Just a few images to get be excited for my week at work...
















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Daphne Guiness

There are only a few artists in this world that follow their own lead, set the example, inspire the masses, write their own rules. A few names would pop into your head.. Gaga probably being on top of that list, with a limited few under her.

One name that rarely pops up in a mainstream way, but is starting to slowly.. is Daphne Guinness. HUGE in the fashion world, and a household name in her native England, this lovely lady has been a very prominant figure within fashion, covering all bases from journalist, designer, collector of haute couture and many more.

Her close relationship with Isabella Blow (another extremely important name in the fashion industry and personal friend and muse to McQueen..before both committing suicide) was extremely important to her and became evident when, after Blow committing suicide upon her news that she had cancer, The Honourable Daphne Diana Joan Suzannah Guinness purchased all of Blows wardrobe, for the sole reason to “prevent Issie’s possessions becoming mere morbid memorabilia… to preserve it.”

The reason why I have chosen now to blog about Daphne is because there have been a number of beauty collaborations between her and some top cosmetic companies, in 2010 one being with NARS but only recently has she gone publicly about her upcoming collection with MAC! Daphne has been a massive supporter of MAC for many years and uses MAC artists personally, regularly.

So! Watch this space for more information on what to expect!





Vogue Italia

L.O.V.E

Sometimes you can find it in your eyes, in a movie, on public transport, in your childhood home, in the outdoors.. love is everywhere. And whilst it inspires you, motivates you and blinds you..is it genuine..real...relatable?

I have had the privledge of coming home to the weddings of two close friends- both from very different parts of my life; two very different people but both with the strongest link it made me so very emotional... L.O.V.E

The past two weekends were such amazing weddings for a few reasons.. One, I got to be apart of them- doing the makeup for both bridal parties and both results making me so proud of my job ( pictures to follow on the amazing looking girls and how stunning their dresses/hair and makeup looked); two, the communities of friends and family I was able to be surrounded with for both friends and three, most importantly- the raw, uncompromised, natural love that both Amy & James and Ailie & Dave had for each other.

Its such a rare thing to find people who are true to themselves and their love for their partner. To be around them, to see first hand that at the end of the day for their amazing weddings- every single guest walked away filled with the love that they had for each other. All guests had moments of being choked up, eyes filled with tears and the lump in their throats.

I have been to many a wedding and worked with many a bride, but knowing these two girls so well and being able to spend their days leading up to the big day with them was overwhelming. I walked away inspired by how easy love can be. For the mutual trust, respect and protection they had for the other... it was like nothing I had seen before. Dont get me wrong.. I have an amazing boyfriend, an amazing relationship and everyday I feel blessed to have him in my life. But every relationship is different and I believe there is alot to be learned by others.

And it brings me to the thought that has been sitting with me since these two very uniquely individual weddings...

You can strip your life of money, expectations, drama, work, others hatred and insincerity.. you can strip it bare and all you have left is you. You and your community. To be surrounded by those that love you, understand you, protect you, want the best for you, would give the world to you and who need you. That is all you need.

Every day I work towards living a life free of judgement, burden and negativity.

I think it was put perfectly by an amazing wordsmith and lovely friend (and fellow blogger) Jem Thomas aka http://www.notaromanticmixedtape.blogspot.com/

'Real men dont love the most beautiful girl in the world, they love the girl who will make their world the most beautiful'.

 

Inspiring makeup from other obsessed selves..

My fav new nail art looks...

i want. i want. i want.

The Row backpack.



Shirtdress (this one by Reiss)



Stella Mccartney 2011 Cat Eyed sunnies



Crochet Clothing... so pretty for summer!





Pamela Love gold cuff.. on the lookout to accompany my awesome dress this coming weekend ;)

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November 2011 Update!

Hello guys!

Well, I hope you have missed my blogging as much as i have! Its been far too long between posting and for that, im sorry! Have finally got a trusty steed in which to ride me into the blogging sunset.. for now.. and whilst this bad boy isnt mine, Im going to make it work hard for my love! There has been so much good stuff going on in the world of makeup/fashion/music/art in the past 2 months since I had my computer last and I was in London!

What has been my most interesting change in my view of fashion and beauty has been the change in hemisphere... and given that so much of the trends are based/formed in the Northern hemisphere, when I moved to oz I am now living A/W 11-12 trends in Australia's S/S 11. So how to adapt.. for all the fashionistas here, simply follow S/S12 trends.. so ultimately.. if us aussies are really really onto trends- we can be a whole season ahead of the rest of the world, rather than one behind.

So! Trends.. The bright pops of colour are still lingering strongly in Australia, with so many of my clients here excitedly asking for a bright lip. Can I be honest- Im so bored!! This bright lip may be a big step forward for a normally natural and makeup shy aussie girl, but coming from London where my Arabic, Asian and African clients demand so much more from their makeup.. I cant help but feel a little uninspired.

There are a few though that do understand how to adapt a simple look and turn it into one that makes them stand out, for the right reasons from the rest of the pack! Rather than go for a bright lip colour, change it slightly.. make it super glossy... or ultra matte; wear dark purple/plummy colours
Eg.

For the slightly shy: MACs Rebel







For those wanting a sexier step up: MAC's Violetta (Pro Store only), Diva or the new christmas 'Glitter and Ice' 2012 lipstick What Joy!



The above picture is also a perfect example at how texture can change the look of your makeup. With the above left being a matte lipstick (Diva) and the above right, a glossy colour (HangUp or a matte with gloss on top)

And for the more hardcore, who love to push makeup boundaries: Mac's Cyber, Film Noir or my fav.. Nightmoth Lip pencil all over the lip.


Photo: Temptalia



Lip above is done by lining the lip with Nightmoth lipliner (my fav!), filling in with blacktrack and then hitting highlight areas (cupids bow and centre of lip) with pink Bronze pigment. Lara Brewster, you genius..

Other trends are the bright orange lip (please read post, that will follow this..), heavily contoured creaselines and disconnected liners. I have been loving the disconnected liners for a while now, and have been estatic to see some amazing high profile covers using such a strong look. The best Ive ever seen though, was actually by a fellow artists and amazing illustrator Lara Brewster. Below is a random creative half an hour she spent with fellow MAc artist Mel. The talent of her work in rediculous.. if you're in London, do look her up!

I also have attached a strong black lip above, she did on me a few days before I left MAC in London for good.. shes such an inspiration for me. Miss her to bits!!



 Gaga, always the face for the most awesome makeup...always ahead of her time, has been wearing such makeup for some time now. Below are some examples of heavily contoured creaselines that look amazing on just about everyone..

 

   


To do it, simply choose a matte nude colour eg MAC's Brule, Blanc Type etc, apply over the top of a prepared lid (paintpot first!!), then using the #217 blending brush, apply a strong flat matte brown/black into the crease. Making sure you blend it perfectly, to assure a flawless finish!!

I could go for years, happy to be back!

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