Top Three Blushes

Top Three Blushes

Dandelion by Benefit

I absolutely LOVE this, I love how you can create a nice velvety finish. It is also great for pale complexions, giving a pinch of colour without looking overbearing!

Watercolour by Daniel Sandler

At first glance, this looks quite scary! Do not fear! All you need to use is a small dab on your middle finger, and using gentle swirls, blend in as if it were a cream. The trick is to blend it in before it dries, in order to achieve an even coverage.
What I love about this, is its staying power. As the day goes on, and some of your makeup wears off...you will still see this!

Dream Touch by Maybelline

A gorgeous cream blush that gives a radiant glow. This is so good that you can use it on its own for a natural, healthy, day look...or you can create an evening look using a contour brush too! I think that Dream Touch is best applied using a finger!

Top Product!

Clarins BB Skin Perfecting Creme

I absolutely LOVE the Clarins BB Skin Perfecting Creme. It's a fabulous alternative to foundation, and you are able to smooth out the skin to achieve a nice, flawless finish.

It is lightweight, but still has a little bit of colour so that you feel sunkissed. To use, just apply with your finger tips, and blend in as you would a moisturiser. Apply the rest of your makeup as usual, and you are ready to rock!

CODE Beautiful Mascara!

CODE beautiful is a new brand, which have launched a new mascara I’ve recently been trying out. It promises lash lift, length and volume without smudging, flaking and most importantly being clump-free. Everything you want in a great mascara right?! I try out so many mascaras, and find myself disappointed a lot so when I find one that’s great- I need to rave about it!!

This is absolutely AMAZING. I’ve used it on every single one of my clients this week, I thought I going to hate it as I judge every mascara by the wand but honestly from the first coat I knew this was something special! It really does give what it promises and I think it’s a great product if you don’t like wearing false lashes but your eyes need that big of umf!

@codebeautiful 

You can buy it here;

http://www.code-beautiful.com/shop/code-vlm-volumising-lengthening-mascara

Oil Based Products for Oily Skin?

Oil Based Products for Oily Skin?

Recently, I have had SO many people asking me on jobs, or messaging me for advice on oily skin. Right, it is time to banish a common myth…the common misconception is that if you have oily skin, then you should avoid oil-based products like the plague. Not true. In fact, you might be surprised to find that your skin is actually craving more oil in your daily skin-care routine!

Cleanse your skin using an oil-based product. I would definitely recommend using an oil-based botanical cleanser, Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil and skin purifier for example. I swear by it, and I’ve converted so many of my clients.

It might go against your better judgement, but using an oil based cleanser works more in sync with your skins natural oils, and has been dermatologically proven to get deeper into your pores and leave you fresher faced.

Use products that contain oil-absorbing ingredients.  I always recommend to any of my clients who are prone to shiny skin, to begin any beauty regime by applying a mattifying gel or primer. MAC Matte primer is fantastic, and super effective.

So should I use an oil-based foundation? Please don’t get confused, I wouldn’t ever recommend an oil based foundation for oily skin…this is JUST in your skin care routine to counteract the oils.  An oil-based foundation would be an oil overload!

Myth: Using a face-stripping, drying, alcohol-based cleansers help keep oil in check. WRONG. Stripping the skin of oil is actually the best way to make your skin produce MORE of it. It can leave you with dehydrated, irritated, sensitized skin. Use an oily cleanser and take off surface oils using a toner if necessary!

Myth: Sunbeds or exposure to the sun is good for drying up the skin. WRONG. Although initially, you may experience a drying effect…your skin will then attempt to compensate for the loss of oil and fire into overdrive, making your skin more oily than ever before!

I hope this helps! :) 

Guest Blog- Thembi!

Manchester Graduate Fashion Show

Last week, as part of the CLMA events team, we had the great opportunity to do the makeup for the Manchester Graduate Fashion Show. This show is held once a year and showcases the amazing talents of the designers of tomorrow. I worked on this show last year, so when I got the call to be involved again this year, I jumped at the chance. The showcase of young talent happens all over the country in cities including Manchester, Liverpool, Nottingham and Leeds, before finishing off with Graduate Fashion Week in London. Graduate Fashion Week has produced some of the UK’s most successful and influential designers, such as Stella McCartney and Alexander McQueen, giving these young designers something to aspire to and achieve.

We were given a really exciting brief both hair and makeup wise so we couldn’t wait to get started.

The brief consisted of 3 looks that were all totally different.

Look #1 called for a strong peacock inspired eye with glitter and slicked back hair.

 Look #2 took on more of a 70’s influence with big crimped hair, a bright lip and lots of blusher!

Look #3 was more of a soft natural look with tousled hair pinned to the side.

                                                                                                                

                                                                                               

As there were 25 models and only 2 hours for hair and makeup we decided to split ourselves between hair and makeup looks. I took control of the peacock makeup look and here’s a run down of how I created the look.  

I moisturised the skin using ‘Nivea Pure and Natural Moisturising Day Cream’  and ‘MAC Fast Response Eye Cream’ .

There were 2 shows, the first at 5pm and the second at 8pm, so I had to ensure the base I used would be long lasting and require minimal touching up between the two shows. I used a mix of ‘MAC Face and Body Foundation’ for it’s sheer, skin like finish and ‘MAC Pro Longwear Concealer’ for any extra coverage needed. Both of these formulas have a nice long wearing time and look just like skin when buffed on using a ‘MAC#188 Duo Fibre brush’, so it was the perfect combination.

As there was going to be lots of sparkle on the eyes, I wanted a satin, sculpted skin to create a nice contrast of textures. To do this I highlighted the skin using ‘Bourjois Healthy Mix Illuminating Brush Concealer’ on the high plains of the face, sculpted the cheek bones with ‘Illamasqua Powder Blusher’ in a tan shade and ‘Illamasqua Cream Blusher in Rude’ . I then powdered as needed with ‘Illamasqua Transparent Finishing Powder’ .

It was now time for the focal feature of the makeup; the dark peacock inspired eye!

I started by using a mix of ‘Bourjois Metallic Eyeliner in Bleu Clinquant 54’ and ‘MAC Kohl Pencil in Tarnish’ all over the eye and along both water and lash lines blending with a ‘MAC #217 brush’.

I then pushed ‘MAC EyeShadow in Humid’ all over the eye lid and topped off with a mix of ‘MAC Reflex glitter in Turquatic and Transparent Teal’. I then applied MAC In Extreme Dimension mascara for lots of volume.                                                                                              

                                                                              

I finished off the look with a coating of ‘MAC Lipstick in Honey Love’ for a nude matte finish.

Here are the models back stage with the finished look. Hope you like it! Thembi x