Tag Archives: make up

SPF for Party Season: Make-up Artist Shares The Best Ones

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Sunscreen is one of the best ways to protect your skin, and daily wear will help to minimise cumulative sun damage and accelerated signs of ageing. 

As part of Face the Future’s 366 Days of SPF campaign, survey results found that only 22% of the UK apply SPF daily, and only 8% reapply their SPF in a day.

We spoke to resident make-up artist at Face the Future, Rachael Divers, about how to wear SPF through party season…

What is party season make-up/how is it different to everyday wear?

Party makeup tends to be more dramatic and glamorous than your everyday routine. Think shimmery glitters, bold red lips, and smoky eyes in deep browns and rich jewel tones. For skin, party season makeup looks usually feature a fuller coverage foundation and more defined cheekbones with a healthy dose of highlighter. Tis the season to sparkle, after all! 

What trends for party season make-up do you think will be in this year?

Red lips are a timeless Christmas staple, so I’m sure they’ll be in high demand this year. They’re festive, flattering, and universally stylish. No matter your skin tone or type, there’s a perfect red lipstick out there for you! When it comes to eye makeup, I expect to see plenty of glittery and metallic eyeshadows this holiday season. For skin, a flawless and glowing complexion will be the perfect base for any makeup look. 


What is the best SPF for glowy party season skin?
For a ‘lit from within’ glow, opt for moisturising SPF formulas that have added illuminating pigments, like Hello Sunday The Illuminating One Glow Primer SPF50. This gorgeous glow booster gives your skin an ethereal glow that looks beautiful both on its own or under your makeup. If you want a rosy, healthy glow, Sand & Sky Tinted Glow Primer SPF30 is perfect. It’s infused with red seaweed to strengthen your skin’s protective barrier, and a Hyaluronic Complex for optimal hydration. 

How can you stop your SPF pilling under your make-up? How long should you wait before doing your skin?

To prevent piling, it’s important to prep your skin properly first to ensure you have a clean base. Start with a thorough cleanse using a gentle cleanser, before following with your favourite moisturiser – water-based formulas are less likely to pill, so opt for these over oil-based formulas. Next, add your water-based SPF on top. 

It’s important to allow time between layering your skincare products to ensure proper absorption of the formulas – a few to ten minutes is usually plenty of time. This can also help to prevent pilling as you’re not overloading your skin. 

Are there any application techniques / advise for how to apply your products for long-wear?

One of my favourite techniques that you can use to keep your base products in place all day and night is ‘baking’; this is a makeup technique that’s been around for years! In makeup setting terms, baking involves setting your concealer and foundation with a generous amount of translucent powder and allowing it to “bake” (set) on your skin for several minutes before brushing it away with a fluffy brush. This method can help to control oil, reduce shine, and create a smooth, long-lasting base for your makeup. It’s best applied using a dampened beauty blender to gently press the powder into place. If you worry that your powder will look too cakey on your skin, you can spritz it with a makeup setting spray for a flawless finish an extra hold.  

For party eyes, make sure to use waterproof formulas when it comes to mascara and eyeliner.

For lips, liquid lipsticks are a great choice! You can also use the baking technique on your lips. Simply apply two layers of your favourite lipstick, blotting in between each layer, then apply your translucent powder over the top and allow it to set for a couple of minutes before gently dusting it away. This technique can feel drying on your lips, so prep them well beforehand to ensure comfort and no signs of flaking. 

How/can you re-apply SPF throughout the day without redoing make-up?

To re-apply your SPF throughout the day without disrupting your makeup, it’s best to look for a spray-on formula. Hello Sunday The Retouch One – Face Mist SPF30 is ultra-fine and invisible, so it’s perfect for topping up your protection throughout the day.  Another great product us Ultrasun UV Face & Scalp Mist SPF 50 – it’s transparent and water resistant and gives high broad-spectrum protection from UVA, UVB, Infrared A and Blue Light. It also won’t leave a sticky feeling on your skin, so you’ll feel perfectly comfortable all day.

Which SPFs are best under makeup for matte finish?

Choose formulas that specify they have a matte finish or have ‘oil control’, like La Roche-Posay Anthelios UVMune 400 Oil Control Fluid SPF50+. This has an invisible, mattifying, lightweight texture that’s great alone or under your makeup.

5 Makeup Tips Every Bride Should Know

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Your big day is finally set in stone. You have the venue and date secured and now you need to take care of the difficult part: everything else! 

However, from silverware to flowers, nothing comes quite close to the importance (and stress) of the look of the bride. It’s at the top of your list, dress, hair, and of course makeup. After all, photos last forever – you need to look perfect! The following tips will ensure that on your wedding day you are completely ready in every way to go down the aisle in style and with grace.

 wedding, weddings, wedding venue, wedding make up artist, London, wedding planning

  1. Early Skin Prep

Having bad skin on one of the most important days of your life is a nightmare. In order to combat this potential dilemma, it is important to be as prepared as you can to eradicate issues before they arise. The key is prevention, not solutions on the day. 

Regular cleansing & repairing facials before the day of is your best bet – aim for at least 3 monthly sessions before you say “I do”. If you follow a proper daily skincare routine months before your wedding, it will drastically improve your skin texture and thus how your makeup will apply to your skin. It’s important to stick to what you know works for your skin, avoid trying risky new skin products (no matter how much they are praised by others) to avoid any rashes, irritation, or scarring!

 

  1. Use Long-Lasting, Waterproof Products

There will be no doubt about it: there will be tears of joy! Make sure your makeup is as waterproof as can be, especially your mascara! Your day will also be filled with stress, and no one wants a nervous sweat ruining their beautiful makeup.

 Wear a long-lasting foundation, a proper primer, and consider matte lipstick – they last much longer than gloss lipsticks. Have a beauty blender nearby for those tears – avoid tissues as they might leave harsh marks, gently dabbing away at tears with a beauty blender will avoid any awkward coverage. Keep your lipstick and powder close by for quick top-ups when needed. Blotting papers are an easy way to quickly eliminate any oiliness from your skin – so keep them close too!

 

  1. Minimize Stress by Giving Yourself, And Your Bridal Party, Enough Prep Time

It’s not uncommon for the bride to walk down the aisle a bit later than expected, but it can be prevented. Make sure you plan well ahead, starting with your makeup artist. Usually, a bridal look will take about 45 minutes and 20 minutes for your bridesmaids and the mother of the bride. 

Ask your bridesmaids to come complexion ready – have them put their base and foundations on beforehand so the artist can add colors on the eyes, cheeks, and lips to speed it up. Have them also bring along their favorite lipstick color this way the makeup artist will know where to begin with your bridesmaids’ looks! 

Lastly, have all the bridesmaids pack out their shoes, jewelry, flowers, and of course, bridesmaid’s dresses ready and packed out as soon as they arrive – no more scurrying around looking for shoes!

  1. Have a Makeup Trial 3-5 Weeks Before the Big Day

If you are planning on having a fake tan on your big day, ensure you have it done before your trial as well, to ensure your makeup is matched accurately! In addition to this, have your hair done and wear your bridal jewelry so your artist can complement your total look. Book your makeup artist 6 months ahead, and try to find someone that matches your style!

  1. Take Your Wedding Season Into Consideration

Ensure you tailor your makeup to the season’s elements you’ll have your wedding in – a moody dark makeup look might look stunning in the winter, but a bit odd in summer. Remember that you don’t want your makeup to be too shiny in summer, save the shimmer for winter weddings. Winter weddings require a more hydrating foundation that won’t look dry and flat on photos and in person. 

Prevent Bridezilla, Plan Ahead

Your wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime moment, invest a lot of time in it, but do so effectively! Planning, making lists, and prioritizing complex tasks will save you a lot of stress down the road. Your make-up will have to endure just as much stress you will – choose wisely, prep well, and keep your skin healthy to avoid any embarrassing or uncomfortable situations. Most importantly, enjoy every moment, including the planning, most of us only get this opportunity once in a lifetime!

Collaborative post with our brand partner.

Winky Lux Make-Up Review: Taylor Swift is a Fan, But Are We?

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Winky Lux Make-Up ReviewWinky Lux make-up caught my eye thanks to its awesome packaging, bold colours and original ideas. It helps that all their make-up is gluten free, vegan and cruelty free. Taylor Swift is using their colour ‘Bond’ at the moment and looks fab. The range is full of inventive beauty products from Diamond Powders, PH Flower Balms to Lightbox highlighters. The brand has just launched their Matte Lip Pills. I got sent some of their products to review. Here is what I thought.
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 Kitten Powder Eyeshadow
Cute packaging, cute name and a great colour. Wins all-round. It has a great texture and is good for blending and creating definition.
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Light Box Strobing Balm
A highlighter is always an essential addition to any make-up bag. Since having a child I always put some on before a special event. Or when I want to look like I am not dead. This is a brilliant balm with high impact. The cream is smooth and melts into the skin. It feels good applying it and leaves you glowing.
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Lip Velvour in Mermaid
Now this is not usually a colour I would go for, but it looks stunning and dramatic. A strong, high-impact teal. I love the lipstick pills. It is hard to be original in the make-up industry and these are really striking and stand out. It is a great lipstick that goes the distance. Feels good on your lips too. It is also paraben free.
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Flower Balm Pink
This is my favourite lip balm ever. I mean, just look at it. When I took it out of the box I almost gasped. It truly is a thing of beauty. I almost didn’t want to use it. The flower inside is just such a great detail. The lip balm itself is great of course but when you could just stare at it instead, who cares?
Pink Flower Balm pH Stain Winky Luxflowerbalm
Glossy Boss Romeo And Juliet
This is a great long-lasting lip gloss. I love the colour, which is perfect for me. I usually hate lip gloss but this has none of the usual stickiness associated with other glosses and is lightweight. It gives sheer colour and shine. It is infused with vanilla for delectable application.

winkyluxlipglossI really love Winky Lux. I have become quite jaded over the years but I really love this brand. Their packaging, originality and the actual make-up itself is such a winning combination. I feel this is the start of a long love affair.
In Winky Lux news, the digital cosmetic has released its range of Matte Lip Velour in ‘Lip Pills’ in a range of unique shades from Blue Moon, Mermaid, Meow Winky Lux, the new luxury yet affordable digital cosmetic line is now available in the UK.

Ultra long-wearing matte lipstick delivers intense pigment with a delectably lightweight moussy texture. Infused with natural vanilla for the ultimate lip experience, this lipstick is packed with suspended pigments to give lips a cushiony, plush feel. All products are cruelty free, vegan and gluten free!

Matte Lip Velour​ in Mermaid Shades, Purples & Darks, Nudes, Marzia Mattes, Reds & Pinks.

Price: ​£13.00

Available: ​Asos.com

 

 

MySign by Revolution New Make-up Inspired by Your Star Sign

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mysignleomakeupAstrology is huge. In fact, I would guess it is a billion pound industry. I am a Leo and a lot of the Leo characteristics apply to me. I am sociable, outgoing and ambitious. I may also be introverted sometimes, but I generally do feel like a Leo. I don’t read my horoscope but I do believe there is something in it.

I got sent this gorgeous make-up from MySign by Revolution New. I have to say, it is very ‘me’. The colours are perfect and are what I would choose. The Compact Eye Wheel is a genius idea. It costs only £5 and includes an eye primer, highlighter, 2 shades of brow powder and 3 eye shadow shades, chosen especially for your sign to blend and customise your look.

For centuries,  psychics have been consulted by those seeking answers from the unseen realms. The Tarot has been credited for providing illuminating solutions for all their major dilemmas, and even guiding people so they avoid future misfortunes. Many still take the help of psychic reading to find the right path.

Inside every box is your own star sign’s 2017 forecast for the year ahead written by professional astrologer, Julia

Fisher. This is the first beauty range with an astrology theme. It takes the characteristics about your star sign along with the colours of your star sign, creating the ultimate in personalisation. The lip gloss is great too and it is a beautiful dark colour. The lip gloss is £3 and it is such a wearable nude.

MySign is the latest project from notable entrepreneur and one-to-watch Krista Madden.  I am definitely a fan.

Website www.mysigncollection.com

 

Share your star sign and make-up looks with us using #MYSIGN

Instagram @mysigncollection Twitter @mysignmakeup YouTube MYSIGN

Available to buy in selected Superdrug Stores www.superdrug.com & www.TAMBeauty.com

The MYSIGN collaboration with Makeup Revolution products for eyes and lips, offer amazing pigments both shimmery and matt that perform perfectly; use them to blend, line and define the eyes or wear as a pop of statement colour.

 

Celebrity favourite cosmetics brand launches in the British Museum Shops

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In support of the BP exhibition Sunken cities: Egypt’s lost worlds 19 May – 27 November 2016

Celebrity favourite cosmetics brand launches in the British Museum Shops eyeshadow palettes,

Today’s make up review is sold in the prestige British Museum’s shops. Pretty impressive. Make up and art collide with the British Museum’s collaboration with ‘Eye of Horus’, a famous award-winning international cosmetic brand. Loved by the media worldwide and many celebrities, this illuminating essential range of eye makeup is based on formulas of the Ancient Egyptians, the originators of beauty and mystique, with sacred ingredients including Organic Moringa Oil “Oil of the Pharaohs”, claimed by the gods for its beautifying and regenerating powers and the ancient oil of Castor Oil. This gorgeous cosmetics range has a huge following and has been featured in magazines such as Vogue UK.

The range was designed to “Awaken The Goddess Within every woman by enhancing her natural beauty”; is available in a range of vivid colours inspired by the ancient Egyptians; and is paraben free, not tested on animals, made with natural ingredients and vegan friendly.

I started by reviewing the luminous isis ombre shadow palette. It comes in great packaging which has a mirror and an applicator brush. It has three shades: enigma myst, chalice bronze and sacred husk. These are gorgeous shimmering metallic shades signed specifically for the Sun Goddess. The shades are beautiful and blend together perfectly. They can be used dry or wet and are long-lasting. These are deeply pigmented, long wearing crease-proof eyeshadow palettes, to deliver everyday brilliance. When water-activated, shadow colours transform to be more intense and radiant if desired. Available in Isis Bronze, Sheba Plum, Matt Brown and Steel Charcoal palettes – £22.50 each. www.britishmuseumshoponline.org 

liquid eye liner, make up reviews, make up, British Museum, Eye of horus

Next up I reviewed the Imperial Bronze Liquid Metals eyeliner. It goes on easily and really makes my brown eyes pop. These excellent Liquid Metallic Eyeliners have a precise, felt-tipped applicator that delivers illuminating metallic mineral pigment effortlessly onto the eyelids for smudge free, long lasting impact. These are available in four colour-ways including: Alchemy Gold, Ancient Pewter, Imperial Bronze and Sphinx Copper. The Liquid Metal range is the perfect eyeliner to see in both the high summer and the autumn cool with their seasonal metallic tones to illuminate the eye. They have an extra smooth formula through blending the glimmering liquid pigment you can create a bright, smokey finished look. I am a fan.

 

Eye of Horus Liquid Metal Eyeliners are now available to buy on www.beautybay.com  as well as in store at the British Museum Shop and online at www.britishmuseumshoponline.org at ￡16.50 each.

 

 

Get Stunning Results with the Revolutionary ‘A-Lift Facial’ by Nouveau Skin Therapy

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A Lift 2
A firm, facial favourite with Celebrities and Beauty Therapists alike, Nouveau Skin Therapy focus on bringing the most effective, natural and scientific developments in anti-ageing skin rejuvenation to consumers and salons across the UK. They’re committed to cater for a wide range of skin goals and with their revolutionary £30 A-Lift Facial, you’ll be stunned by the A List results.

What sets the A-Lift Facial a bar above regular facials is that it pretty much gives you the results of a surgical procedure without the need for any needles or scalpels. Yes, it is completely non-evasive and such results are achieved by the use of machines designed for sports injuries to increase ATP production in the cells. In short, this promotes skin regeneration, improves muscle tone and stimulates the skin to act younger by using a series of nano-currents. This also produces an increase of collagen. No wonder why it’s a firm favourite with stars such as Sadie Frost, Ellie Golding and Lisa Snowden.

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We were lucky enough to try out the A-Lift facial and even though The Anti-Ageing effect is not personally what I’m after at present, it was still the best facial I have ever had. My skin was instantly brighter, tighter and rejuvenated. Perfect for this brisk winter weather, we would definitely recommend it as the ideal skin therapy. One of the best things was that I didn’t have a single breakout after, nor was there any sign of skin redness. The facial lasts up to 50 minutes and includes lymphatic drainage which effectively rids your skin of toxins. Perfect if you’re in need of an overall boost and some down time. Priced at £30 this facial really is a no brainer and we would recommend it as the perfect lunch-time treat, pre-party pick-me-up or Mother’s Day Gift.

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You can look up salons nearest to you where they offer this treatment here;

To find out more visit www.nouveaubeautygroup.com

Christmas Gift List For The Beauty Junkie

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The beauty junkie: so much you can buy for them but what to choose? With so many options it can be hard to narrow it down. So we have done it for you. balancemechristmasgiftsetBalance Me’s 10th anniversary Christmas collection is beautifully presented in stunning seasonal, celebratory packaging embossed with Balance Me’s celebratory fireworks motif.  The Heavenly Hands Duo (£10 /2 x 30ml) containing their best-selling, multi-award winning hand creams – Super Moisturising & Rose Otto. We have tried them both and they are divine.

Available from balanceme.co.uk, feelunique.com, lookfantastic.com and Ocado.com

lanolipschristmasgiftset lanolipsgiftset

Lanolips has collaborated with leading Australian fashion illustrator Kelly Smith on ‘The Artists Tin’. The elegantly illustrated tin, features gold embossed elements and a picture of gorgeous high heel shoes.

Containing the hero products:

  • 101 Ointment 15g (Multipurpose Balm – 100% natural, 101 uses)
  • Rose Balm Intense for Very Dry Hands and Nails 25ml (Intense hydration & protection for very dry hands & nails)

“Kelly’s illustration of the beautiful woman, whom I have affectionately named Lucinda after my Grandparent’s Lucindale Farm, came as a result of Kelly winning the Lanolips Artist Competition.” Kirsten Carriol, Founder.

This is just a beautiful gift. Great products with a keepsake tin. Win.

From feelunique.com to boots.com

 

SensatioNail Starter Kit

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The SensatioNail™ Raspberry Wine starter kit includes everything you need to prep and complete up to 10 salon quality gel nail polish manicures at home; that will last up to 2 weeks with no chipping, smudging, cracks or dulling! JUST £69.99 – This special gift pack includes a boxed SensatioNail Gel Polish Starter Kit with a Raspberry Wine sample size polish. The gel nail kit includes the unique Pro 3060 LED Nail Lamp, which has been specially designed to set and dry your favourite SensatioNail™ Gel Polish in no time – safely locking in the colour to give your nails a glossy, long-lasting finish.

SensatioNail by Nailene Gel Polish Starter Kit, Raspberry Wine is available here.

L.A.B.2 Cosmetic Brush Gift Sets

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STROKES OF GENIUS BRUSH KIT

A professional set of 5 must-have eye brushes to create natural to dramatic eye looks.Eyeshadow Brush – distributes color evenly onto the lids, crease and brow bone.

Crease Brush – accentuates the crease and blends colors seamlessly together to soften harsh lines.
Pointed Eyeliner Brush –  delivers a precise, firm, even line.
Brow & Liner Brush – fills in brows and lines eyes for extra definition.
Brow & Lash Groomer – grooms, combs, and defines brows and lashes.

These brushes are amazing. Professional quality at a reasonable price. They make a great gift.

Lab 2 Brush Set, Strokes Of Genius is available here.

Burt’s Bee Naturally Bee-autiful Gift Set. 

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Naturally Bee-autiful Collection (rrp £19.99)

This is the perfect gift set. The towelettes with white tea extract are handy and it also has lip balm, a really good pore scrub and body lotion. All of the products are great and this is a good, thoughtful gift.

Contains

• Wild cherry lip Balm (4.25g)
• naturally nourishing milk & honey Body lotion (70g)
• peach & Willowbark deep pore scrub (110g)
• facial cleansing towelettes with White tea extract (10 count)

Burt’s Bees Naturally Bee-autiful Collection, Gift Set is available here.

 

Joan Collins Timeless Beauty Compact Duo. Powder and Lipstick

joancollins joancollinscompact

 

A beautiful and glamorous gift. Contains a good powder and a hydrating lipstick. Both products are great and the packaging is the perfect balance of old school glamour and innovation. Lipstick in the compact? Brilliant.

 

 

Discover bagsy Make-Up. Your Handbags New Best Friend.

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British-born bagsy started out big, working for global beauty brands. From all of their expert knowledge they decided to take the best of the market and curate a perfectly designed capsule collection that’s easy-to-choose and easy-to-use. The products are effortlessly fuss-free and stand alone as individual, clever formulas presented in iconic, compact packaging and a colour palette to compliment any shade of skin.

We tried out some of bagsy’s top picks for darker skin tones and here’s how we got on;

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First up Pretty Cheeks blush £16;
Shade; Velvet Coral.

With it’s high pigmentation, this is designed to perk up your complexion whilst still appearing soft and subtle. This creamy blush is so light and almost feels like a layer of mousse across your skin without looking too ‘caked’ on. I absolutely loved the texture of this and it was so easy to apply with its dome-shaped design. This lasted all day on my skin and instantly gave me a little face lift and a softer appearance. It’s convenient to apply on the go and this really has become a staple in my make-up bag. This has been a stand out colour of any blush I have tried in the past, with just the right balance of glow and radiance, the Velvet Coral gave my face an instant lift and also enhanced my contour routine.

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Ray of Sunshine bronzer £18
Shade; Medium Dark

This matte bronzing powder compact is effortless, luxurious and gave a natural radiancy to my skin. I’ve always had difficulty selecting certain bronzers as many brands tend to have a lot of sparkle pigments in them which can look like i’ve swept a big line of glitter across my face, but this bronzer was designed to give you an effortless glow and to even out skin tone, which is just what it does. The packaging is chic and bagsy’s nice little touches such as the quotes they have chosen to print on their products/packaging will never fail to make you smile.

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Wow Lips lip pencil £12
Shade; Killer Heels

The Wow Lips collection as with all of the bagsy range, is presented in a smart box with a few striking and highly pigmented colours to choose from. This chubby lip crayon is long-lasting and really moisturising as well as giving good coverage. This was my favourite product out of the collection as it really was such a high quality and lasted most of the evening with very little touch-ups. The formula used to make Wow Lips contains nylon and spherical powders which is why this brand new make-up bag staple has a serious comfort-factor as well as stunning coverage.

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The bagsy range is available to buy from Feelunique.com and launched into Debenhams stores nationwide October 2015.

http://www.bagsybeauty.com