Model Makeup #2

This is the second in my series about makeup looks I have done on recent photoshoots. 

Today's model is Abi Green. It was great working on Abi because she is an agency represented model, and had a face that just comes alive with makeup (and the most perfect baby soft, blemish free skin I have ever seen!!)

Instagram: emilylaurenbeth

I was shown the outfit (it was all from Urban Outfitters) and was immediately drawn to the gorgeous neon coral colour of the top. I knew I wanted to reflect how fun and beautiful this colour was in her makeup too. For her lips I mixed two Illamasqua shades together, a bright matte orange called 'Flare' and a bright neon pink 'Immodest'. I used Bobbi Brown Foundation Sticks for her base and contoured with MAC 'Harmony' blush to accentuate her amazing cheekbones and then added a sweep of pink blusher to add some warmth and colour  as contour alone would have looked quite severe.

On her eyes I primed her lids with Urban Decay's matte primer potion, which is so good I have to say. On top I created a blown-out, soft wash of colour using the pink and copper shades from the Paranormal Palette from Illamasqua's latest collection. Using MAC's soft kohl eyeliner in 'Smoulder' I lined her waterline and finished off with lashings of MAC Opulash mascara. Her eyebrows were very fair so I added some definition with MAC 'Omega' eyeshadow. 
The finishing touches...
I painted her nails with the brightest pink I had on me, which was one by Maybelline. I wanted to keep her amazing skin quite fresh and glowing so I didn't add any powder until just before she was photographed, and only to her T-Zone.

The shoot was in preperation for an exhibition which has been on show in Urban Cardiff for a couple of weeks now. It's nice seeing some of my work on the walls, makes me remember why I love doing makeup so much. And I would love to work with Abi again!

Here's a final shot:

Lewis Hughes-Evans photography, Abi Green model.

Nails: Little Hearts

I've said it once and I'll say it again, I don't do nail art!! But my sister was visiting last week and asked me to do her nails, and I couldn't resist popping a little heart on her ring finger.

The main colour I used was In Style Coral from Nails Inc which I don't think is available anymore. The beige base colour on her ring finger was Essie's 'Sand Tropez'- one of my all time faves. With a bit of help of some cotton buds soaked in nail varnish remover and a steady hand I managed to whip out two little hearts pretty quickly. Perhaps not the neatest of jobs, but maybe not bad for a first timer ;-)

We used a Nails Inc basecoat and topped the final mani with my trusty Sally Hansen MegaShine. 

Thanks for reading,

E.

Mini MAC Haul- 'All About Orange' Collection.

I'll be honest and say I had gone off MAC a bit. After working for a short while for Illamasqua and getting to work with such strongly pigmented products, anything I swatched at MAC just seemed watery in comparison. Alas, when I saw they were releasing a collection dedicated to orange I knew I would cave. I love orange and coral. They are without a doubt my go-to colours in the summer, give me an orange lipstick over a pink one anyday.

Afer a bit of deliberation I knew I could sort of justify a MAC splurge if it was for my kit. I've got enough MAC lippies to last me a life time.

I originally thought I wanted 'Sushi Flower' lipstick as it such a 'me' shade but I opted for a slightly more wearable 'Razzledazzler' as it would have more of a universal appeal, would suit more people and would be perfect for bridal. It's a milky coral. By no means is it bright or neon-esque, the lustre finish means it has an underlying 'sheer' quality about it and a glisten-y finish. It very much reminds me of the permanent lip glass Pink Lemonade with it's mid-tone yet brightening qualities. This will suit pale and tanned girls alike though I probably wouldn't advise it for asian skin tone or deeper. It's pretty long lasting considering the slip of the finish, 2-3 hours wear and leaves a pretty coral 'just bitten' stain behind. Easy enough to top up on the go though.

After thinking one of my MAC blushes was faulty due to it's absolute lack of pigment ('Pink Swoon' FYI) I was dubious to spend money on another. Unlike 'Pink Swoon' which is a sheertone blush (which may explain it's lack of colour when swatched) 'Immortal Flower' is a satin finish which means it's not totally matte, but there's no detectable glitter or shimmer present either. It's very peach in the pan which doesn't come across in my photos unfortunately. On me, a light dusting gives a soft peachy glow, but it can be built up a little more intense. Again, this will look simply gorgeous on a bride because it hasn't got that disco ball shimmer in it and it makes you 'glow' rather than look too blusher-y. It photographs beautifully.

Both 'Razzledazzler' and 'Immortal Flower' compliment one another when worn together. I do wish I had a bit more money to spend as I would have caved into 'Sushi Flower' any way and would have probably picked up 'Neon Orange' for the hell of it too. Unlike the other MAC collections released this year, this one has impressed me.

Thankyou for reading,

E.

So fresh and so clean.

Untouched lipsticks make me happy. These two have been sitting in my drawer since December but have remained untouched until this week. Partly because the packaging fills me with a content, warm feeling every time I open my storage and see it shining back at me, but partly because I felt the shades weren't right for the season until now. 

I picked up Tom Ford 'Wild Ginger' on a staff order last year, back when I was able to receive a rather generous discount on TF products. I had been eyeing up this shade for an awful long time, I am a sucker for an orange red. This is my second TF lipstick and as usual I have been very impressed by the quality- heavy, click shut packaging paired with a smooth formula that is high in pigmentation and comfortable to wear. This colour is most striking worn with fresh, flawless foundation base and barely there eye makeup or a small and tasteful eyeliner flick.

Ben bought YSL Rouge Pur Couture in no.52 as a christmas present for me. He knows how much I love YSL but I would rarely treat myself to a lipstick from there. This is a bright coral pink, a little reminiscent of a couple of limited edition MAC lipsticks I have,  which were favourites of mine last summer. Similarly to my weakness for orange reds, I do love me a coral. And you all know I love me a bright lip, so this was always going to be love.

A little bit of luxury does everybody good, I am not sure I could ever justify a Tom Ford lipstick full price and I am kicking myself for not picking up more when I had the chance. The traceless foundation stick in Alabaster is also calling to me. Are you girls loving these shades as much as I am, or are they a bit daring for you?

Thanks for reading,

E.

My Make Up Artist Lip Palette

Top row L-R: MAC Blankety, Pink Plaid & Rebel,. Illamasqua Immodest, Flare and Apocalips..
Bottom row L-R: Illamasqua Drench & Russian Red,  Vegas Volt. Illamasqua Wanton, Plunge, Corrupt and MAC Up The Amp

I finally got my act together and made my lip palette. On most jobs, a lip palette is ideal because it saves both space and weight in an already heavy kit bag. I would only use lipstick straight from the bullet for a 'special occasion' such as for a bride on her wedding day or if I was to ever work on a high profile client (though that is a long way down the road.)

I've seen this process done in many ways, some use a whole lipstick, others a slither. Some melt the lipstick and pour into the box, others cut and smush. I made that word up by the way, but I'm totally sure you all know what I mean. 
I decided that I didn't want to sacrifice a whole lipstick to a Muji pill box. Instead, I cleaned all of my lipsticks and used a third to a half of the product, leaving some remaining in its packaging. Why did I choose to do this? Firstly, because I wanted some lipsticks left over, you never know if the Muji box will become damaged or god forbid, lost. If I had used 12 whole lipsticks and then something bad happened then I'd be waving goodbye to £150+ worth of makeup. Secondly, (as mentioned above) some clients would prefer to see an MUA working from a lipstick bullet rather than a messy palette of smushed up colours. (There's that word again.)

I also decided not to melt my lipsticks. I can't help but feel it is a massive faff for no reason at all, plus I am sure that melting and drying lipsticks will alter their original texture. I want my mattes to stay matte, and anything with glitter in I want to stay evenly distributed.

For this palette I only used a combination of MAC and Illamasqua lipsticks, because they are good quality and high in pigmentation, and not so expensive that it felt a sin to cut them up.

The process is straightforward but fiddly at times. I cleansed each lipstick and used a sharp knife to slice off the desired amount, then smoothing it into its section in the pill box. I later pressed down on each segment to secure it in place. Not as neat looking as those who have melted, but it'll do the job and that's what matters. 

I have used this a few times now and so far it delivers well. It is such a good way of keeping an amount of lipsticks succinct and it also makes it easy to mix different shades on the back of my hand!

Thanks for reading,

E.

Midweek Post: Sunset Colours

I have become a little more experimental with colour recently, which I mentioned in my last FOTD post too. Wearing warm, sunset colours on my eyes is fast becoming one of my favourites, I love warm toned colours on cool toned skin as a general preference, because although it doesn't fit in with 'rules' of colour I think it keeps skin looking alive and youthful. Too many cool colours on fair pink skin can look almost morbid sometimes. A way of trying out warm, flush colours on your eyes without buying new eyeshadows is to use blusher! Illamasqua's 'Lover', 'Naked Rose' and 'Beg' blushers are some of my favourites to wear on my eyes.

EHD.

PS I'll be replying to all of the lovely comments that have been left for me in my last few posts early next week. Please don't think I am ignoring you, I read and appreciate every comment and message left for me!

Midweek Post: A Pop Of Colour

I must have been feeling a bit fruity last week when I decided that orange and blue in the same makeup look was going to be a good idea. In the end, I really liked the outcome and wearing a pop of colour during these dark winter (I am not a big fan of post- Christmas winter) days is a quick and an easy way to brighten up my mood. Orange and blue are complimentary colours and a couple of people made nice comments about my makeup that day, which is always nice isn't it?

I used the Urban Decay Naked Basics palette on my eyelids to create a natural brown look and then put Illamasqua's medium pencil in 'Debonair' under my waterline. I blended it with one of my Laura Mercier brushes and added a bit of brown from the UD palette in the outer corners to tie in the overall look. Granted, the medium pencil needed to be touched up throughout the day which was a bit of annoyance. On my lips I used a true vivid orange lipstick also from Illamasqua called 'Flare'. The formula is a little stiff but it is ultra matte and so was the perfect choice on a windy day! Nothing worse than hair getting stuck in lipgloss! 

I enjoyed wearing something a bit different and have been trying out different looks recently, I'll try and document a few of them for this ere blog :-)

P,S, Can you tell I still can't use my camera properly? ;-D

Lychee Luxe Lipglass.

 M.A.C. Tinted Lipglass in 'Lychee Luxe', £13.50 for 4.8g.

You may remember that I surprised myself a couple of months ago at how much I liked my first Lipglass from MAC (you can see a review and swatches of Pink Lemonade here.) Well, I soon gave in and ordered another, with the good-enough-to-eat name 'Lychee Luxe'.

For once, the website seemed to describe the shade of this quite aptly as a 'pinky coral with golden shimmer'  -it's a red infused coral which makes it perfect to wear during this transitional season and throughout autumn because it's got more depth and is quite intense. This makes me happy as it's no secret what a coral girl I am, and I'm not ready to give them up yet! The gold shimmer specks are obvious when you're up close but they're not too chunky, the gold creates a warm sheen when the gloss reflects the light.

As with all lipglasses, the consistency is thick and balmy, and it's because of this that people's opinions of them always seem so split. It is also quite gloopy but it's due to these factors that you get impresive pigmentation and a long lasting finish. Whilst these are nice layered on top of lipsticks, these pack enough punch to be worn on their own and unlike the negative effects MAC lipsticks have on my lips (always dry and worse for wear the next day), this isn't the case with the lipglasses, which is another bonus.

I think I'll purchase a couple more of these over time, I've definitely got my eye on Russian Red and Eclectic Edge. (I wish I'd bought True Babe, why are the best colours always Limited Edition?!)

Do you own this shade? Are you a lover or a hater of The Mac Lipglass?

Midweek post: my makeup rutt: two favourite blushers!

Estee Lauder blusher in 'Peach Nuance', £24 for 7g

Benefit blusher in 'Sugabomb', £23.50 for 12g

Whilst grabbing a familar box o'blush in a rush the other day, and then swirling it on my cheeks I realised that I looked exactly the same as I did the day before, and the day before that, and the day before that...- that I'd used that blusher the day before, as well as that foundation, that eyeshadow and that lipgloss. Urgh, that feeling, that realisation that I have become stuck in one of those 'makeup rutts'. I've heard people talk about them. I never thought one of 'them' would happen to me, after all, I have previously taken pride in the fact that I do rotate my products and do try new things, but it got me panicking...

Whilst I'm stuck in this rutt, I thought I may aswell document it for you all to see and read about. I'll start with the two blushers, the only two blushers I have used for at least the past two months now, it is absolute love I have for both of these shades, but I do understand that I can't neglect the other 1547895 blushes in my possession for much longer. I promise that from now on I will make a conscious effort to mix it up, promise.

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I have mentioned this in a favourites video in the past as it's a shade that I truley love and know I will buy again when it runs out oneday. 'Peach Nuance' is a satin finish, which means there's no shimmer or sparkle which makes it very versatile as it can be worn on it's own subtley or can be paired with a powder highlighter to add a glisten to the cheekbones if so desired.
'Peach Nuance' is no longer available as Estee Lauder recently reformulated their blushers and brought out a new shade range. However the good news for you is, you can still buy it but now it is known as 'Witty Peach' instead and while it is the same shade it now comes in nicer, more golden bling packaging and a larger travel brush beside it for better application on the go.

The colour itself is a peach coral shade, that can be deepened or lightened depending on which end of the pan you swirl your blush brush. I love the gradient between the yellow peach to the coral pink, it's so unique and beautiful to look at. The powder is so smooth to apply, and it's easy to choose whether you want a sheer wash or a flush of colour. Pefect to awaken any tired or dull complexions and one that would also look lush with a tan.

My other favourite blusher at the moment is one that has been in my possession for a long time and was given to me for free when I used to work for Benefit. Sugabomb is such a gorgeous coral for those of us who are pale skinned as it isn't too deep or unnatural. It's one of those shades that freshens up the complexion so well and I love building it up to a brighter pop of colour. Unlike Peach Nuance, Sugabomb does have a subtle shimmer running through it that transfers onto the skin as a highlight. I find this powder works best with a blusher brush that is densely packed with fibres, such as the Illamasqua brushes or even the MAC 116.

As you can see, I'm a girl obsessed with the coral blush. I think peach and coral add a lift and pop that other shades don't do. Hopefully my pink blushes won't go unloved for much longer, I'm hoping I'll transfer back to them when winter rears it's ugly, ugly face. But in the meanwhile, any help or advice to a girl stuck in a coral blush rutt? Or if that fails, any other coral or peach blushers you can recommend to me?!

LATE Midweek Post! Pink Lemonade

(Apologies that my Wednesday post is up on a Thursday, yesterday I had a 5am start and training for work in Bristol. I didn't get home til gone 9 and after the second Dominoes of the week (tsk) I collapsed!)

MAC lipglass in 'Pink Lemonade', £13.50 for 8g.

 Despite their bad rep, I've been really enjoying using this lipglass in 'Pink Lemonade' for the last couple of weeks, and I shall tell you for why!

When I first removed the lid I did notice the product string, gloop and stick to the wand and immediately wondered if this product would be too sticky to even wear. However, after applying it onto my lips I wasn't as disappointed as I thought I'd be.

Pink Lemonade is a warm, light coral pink shade- having only been a lipgloss fan for less than a year my collection in comparison to lipsticks is mere and this shade seemed to shout out to me, as I love peaches and corals! I really enjoy the feel of gloss on my lips, they don't seem to negatively affect my lips like lipsticks do, instead acting as a barrier whilst delivering high shine. Perf!

What I find impressive is it's pigmentation. Because the formula is thicker than most other glosses I've come into contact with, one swipe applies a near opaque finish. It's good worn on it's own as it offers more than just a sheer wash that most glosses offer, but is also good layered over a lipstick for added oomph and shine.

Similarly to MAC lipsticks, these also contain that inital vanilla scent that becomes pretty much untraceable once it's on. It's lasting power is fantastic (due to the thicker consistency) however this isn't one to be worn with your hair down, on a windy day! Trust me on that one! 

It has got a slight sticky and tacky feel to it, however I don't find this uncomfortable (however some of you might).

Overall, I don't hate lipglasses! Part of me is happy that my money wasn't spent on a dud product, but part of me is sad as now there's a few more shades added onto my everygrowing list......
(FYI it's found under the 'Tinted Lipglass' section of the MAC Cosmetics website!)

Midweek post; MAC Vegas Volt! (vs Watch Me Simmer)

MAC lipstick in 'Vegas Volt', £13.50 for 3g.

Yes, some of you may be yawning 'another MAC lipstick?' but as lip products are one of my favourite things, I like to document them!

Vegas Volt is one of those 'in your face' lipsticks that many of us know and love. Excellent for brightening up a pale complexion such as mine and absolutely divine on tanned skin, it's one of those colours that if you have the balls to wear it, it'll be a colour that'll be much loved in your collection.

One thing I noticed when I got it home is that it reminded me of one of my favourite lipsticks 'Watch Me Simmer' which if you read my blog regularly you'll know it first appeared in my 'Shop MAC' mini haul and has featured in monthly favourites posts too. I will say that I do still prefer Watch Me Simmer due to it's coral pink leaning, whereas Vegas Volt is more of a orange coral infused tomato red. Both are neon-esque shades and are great worn subtley and dabbed onto the lips or at full opacity!

The photograph below shows Watch Me Simmer on the left and Vegas Volt on the right.

Watch Me Simmer was limited edition in 'Shop' and then re-released in the 'Reel Sexy' collection however Vegas Volt is a permanent shade.

I love both of these lipsticks, and shades such as this really are staples on my summer face!

Do you own Vegas Volt?

Simple British themed FOTD; 'English Rose'

Though proud to be British, I'm not particularly patriotic. The whole Diamond Jubilee has washed over my head a bit and the sight of union jack flags, cushions, duvet covers, dinner plates and nail art sickens me slightly. 

However, in a nod to this weekends goings on I thought I'd create a simple 'English Rose' themed FOTD. This embraces long eyelashes and that whole 'peaches and cream' complexion that is so simple yet elegant about traditional British beauty. 

FOTD:

Base

Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation (02) mixed with Benefit 'High Beam'

Chanel Poudre de Universelle (01 Clair)

MAC Harmoney (contour)

MAC MSF 'Soft and Gentle'

Estee Lauder signature blusher 'Peach Nuance'

Eyes

MAC 'Showstopper' on brows

Estee Lauder 'Sumptuous' mascara

Lips

TopShop lipstick in 'Coy'

Champneys lipgloss.

Have you adopted more extreme makeup looks for the Jubilee, i.e. blue eyes and red lips, painted flags on your face, or will you be keeping it simple like me?

Wonder Product: YSL Glossy Stain.

Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Pur Couture Vernis a Levres in '08 Orange de Chine', £22.50.

These are one of the newest additions to the YSL product range, a sucker for Yves Saint Laurent beauty and for lip products it wasn't long before I gave these ago. After trying on number 12 'Corail Fauve' and Makeda trying on number 11 we were bowled over by so many factors that these glossy stains kept coming up in conversation throughout the day as we were wowed by the unbelievable staying power as we shopped, drank and chatted. Big shout out to the blonde lady on YSL counter in John Lewis Westfield Stratford- we loved her! She even passed us after she had finished work, stopped us and commented that our lips were still intact, 6 hours later!

As much as I loved number 12, I felt I already sort-a had this colour. When I returned a couple of weeks later I opted for number 8, which is an orange shade with a coral element to it though not miles away from the original 12. I am IN LOVE.

Reasons to buy;

• The shine finish is so intense, enough to rival any lip gloss, no shimmer or sparkle chunks, just pure high shine.
• The colour pigmentation is impressive yet controllable; one layer applies a stunning wash of colour whereas two layers reaches full opacity.
• The product is totally unique, it's got the best elements of a lipstick (in terms of colour pigmentation), gloss (in terms of high shine) and lip stain (this product will be on your lips for the day, and on your hands if you happen to swatch any!)
• The product can be described as 'smooth' in so many ways- application is smooth, the packaging is smooth, and the barrier-like finish feels SO smooth on the lips.
• Kissproof!- You can kiss your boyf with this on, and nothing will transfer from your lips to his or affect the shiny finish.
• The colour range is excellently established; there is a colour for everyone.
• I found there to be absolutely no side effects to the lips after a days wear of this, heck even after three days wear my lips are in a condition no worse than they started off. This really impressed me, especially after nursing my poor lips back to health after lip abuse the last couple of months!

Have you tried these? What colours do you own?