Building a Makeup Kit: Part 3

Here is part 3 in the Building a Makeup Kit mini-series which this time focuses on lips and cheeks.

This post should give you an idea about which products will get you off to a good start when building a makeup kit and I have included suggestions for products I would get if I was building my kit from scratch.

Again, as in part 1, and part 2 I have selected these products because I feel they offer value for money, quality and performance.

Lip Colour
If you carry a good selection of lip colours from the palest nude to a deep cherry it should give you a good base to build upon. It is important that you learn to mix your products when starting out with a small kit so you are always confident that if you don't have the exact colour you want you can mix it.

I think the Yaby lip colours are excellent as they are very pigmented and the texture is nice to work with as they glide on and are very silky. As with the eye shadows, you can carry many colours without taking up lots of space and working from a palette all the colour options are to hand which saves you rummaging round in a bag full of tubes.

Yaby Palette $15.50 - 20 well
Lip Colours $3.75 each - LC013/020/060/181/198/231/237/246/255/277/319/414/025/066/129/165/184/208/233/267

If you want to create unusual lip colours Make Up For Ever Flash Colours are a favourite amongst makeup artists for this purpose. You can also mix the flash colours with gloss or lip stick to adjust the colour when you don't have the exact shade you need.

Lip Liner
A clear lip pencil that prevents bleeding and feathering when working with dark colours is all you need at first. If you like working with lip liners you can then build a collection from there.

Urban Decay Glide-On Lip Pencil £8.32 - Ozone

Lip Gloss
Start your lip kit with a good clear gloss. If you want coloured glossy lips either lay down a lip colour first and apply gloss over the top or mix your clear gloss with some lip colour to get a tint.

This is one area where you can probably save some money and find a drug store brand gloss that works for you so shop around but my gloss of choice is Bobbi Brown as it is doesn't wear off too quickly and has a really high shine formula.

Bobbi Brown Crystal Lip Gloss £11.74

Blush
La Femme blushes blend well, are highly pigmented and inexpensive so the palette Mary, at Camera Ready Cosmetics has put together is the perfect blush kit with a colour range to suit anyone that sits in your chair.

La Femme 12 Colour Blush Palette $39.00

All prices were correct at the time this was posted and do not include any pro discount that may be available to you.

If any other artists reading this have lip or cheek product suggestions feel free to share them with us and leave a comment.

Blogs To Bookmark: Design Scene

Keep up to date with the top editorials and advertising campaigns from around the world with the Design Scene blog. Design scene is an excellent research and inspiration tool which I love for keeping up to date with the international titles I cant always get my hands on.

Here are some examples of what you will find over at Design Scene....

Which blogs do you think I should bookmark? Let me know by leaving a comment.

Links to Love: Makeup Shopping!

As we have been discussing what to buy when building a professional makeup kit I thought it fitting to share with you my five go to sites when shopping for makeup as my Links to Love this week.

HQhair

Huge range of brands such as Benefit, Japonesque, Urban Decay, Philosophy, Nars and Stila as well as top skin care brands and hair care and styling products all under one roof.

Makeup Provisions

UK stockist of Make Up For Ever and Zuca amongst other pro brands.

Yaby Cosmetics

Excellent range of high quality palatalised makeup.

Camera Ready Cosmetics

La Femme, Graftobian, Keromask, Cinema Secrets and many more pro brands

Screen Face

Special FX products and brands such as Kryolan, RCMA, Embryolisse and Ben Nye

I am sure there are plenty more international stores that you all love so post your favorites in the comments section so we can turn this into a great shopping resource!

Building a Makeup Kit: Part 2

Here is part 2 in the Building a Makeup Kit mini-series which this time focuses on products for the eyes.

This post should give you an idea about what is needed for your kit when starting out and I have included products suggestions which are all items I would pick if I was building my kit from scratch. Again, as in part 1, I have selected these products because I feel they offer value for money, quality and performance.

To see Part 1 click here...

Eye Shadow
If there was one thing I wish I had know about when investing in those first few pieces for my kit it would be Yaby. I wont rave on too much about the brand here because I guess that's a whole other post but everything about the brand to me is ingenious.

Eye shadows are one product you could pretty much go on collecting for ever with all the different colours and finishes out there but if I was starting over I would firstly put my money in to Yaby shadows. The Yaby palettes which are 14.4cm x 10.8cm include 40 colours which are about the size of a 5 pence piece (or a dime i think?). I get the impression that some people are put off by the size at first but that's the best thing about these palettes. A little also goes along way as the shadows are very pigmented so there is no need for larger pans and you can carry a wide selection of colours without taking up space in your kit.

At the current exchange rate 1 of these palettes of 40 colours is aprox £60. That is the equivalent of 6 MAC shadows. Not bad huh?

Yaby $110 - Dramatically Neutral
Yaby $120 - Best of Both Worlds

Ideally you could get both palettes but I know that's not always the case so if I had to chose between the two I would get the Best of Both Worlds and add these 3 quads from Revlon for a good selection of neutrals.

These 3 quads from Revlon are a great for bridal, natural makeup looks and smokey brown eyes. I cant give these up as they are really useful flattering colours on just about everyone, plus the price is excellent value (usually on 3 for 2 at Boots) so I would definitely recommend you add these to your kit especially if you are building a kit on a tight budget.

Revlon Colour Stay 12 Hour Eye shadow Quads £7.82 each - 03 Natural Khakis, 06 In The Buff, 12 Price Less Metals

If you are using cheap shadows that are not very pigmented and you want to keep them in your kit try using a Primer such as Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion £9.30 to get good intensity of colour and make sure it stays put.

Brows
Brows are such an important feature and should not be overlooked. Neat groomed brows will add polish to your work and complete the look by framing the face.

I have these neutral eye shadows in a separate quad palette which I use for brows. They are great for filling in brows whilst still looking natural and the colours can easily be layered to get a good match for your client.

MAC Eye Shadows £9.79 each - Brule, Symmetry, Charcoal Brown, Carbon

Hairspray or Gel on a clean mascara wand can be used instead of a brow gel to groom brows on a budget.

Eye Liner
You will probably find black the most useful liner to have in your kit when starting out. You can use eyeshadow with an angled brush if you need another colour such as brown or grey for a soft liner or mix in a sealer (ScreenFace £4.40) or transforming gel with any colour shadow to create a liquid eyeliner.

MAC Fluid Line £10.77 - Blacktrack (long lasting, smudge proof precise lines)
MAC Kohl Pencil £10.77 - Smoulder (soft, smudgy, smokey lines)

Lashes
I think that many of the more expensive mascaras on the market perform well because of the wand used to apply it. When starting out find an inexpensive mascara that works well when using disposables. I also think its good to have a couple of pairs of strip lashes in your kit, one natural pair to add length and one more glamorous fuller pair should be a good start.

Maybelline Volume Express £4.88 - Black, Black Waterproof
Eylure Naturalite False Lashes - 101, 070
Duo £9.74 - Surgical Adhesive

Your Duo Surgical Adhesive can also be used to stick pretty much anything to the face and body.

All prices were correct at the time this was posted and do not include any pro discount that may be available to you.

If any other artists reading this have product suggestions for the eye area please feel free to share them with us and leave a comment.

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Building a Makeup Kit: Part 1

What exactly do you need if you are just starting to build a professional makeup kit? This week I am going to post a mini-series of posts that cover all the products needed to get you started.

Building a makeup kit is a huge investment and with the amount of products on the market it can be hard to know where to start. I know I made mistakes, which looking back was money down the drain due to impulse buys and bad choices.

All the suggestions I have made here are products I would invest in if I was starting over, taking into consideration value for money, quality and performance.

Skin Care and Prep Products
You want products that are going to work on a variety of clients that are unlikely to irritate the skin. Moisturisers should be easily and quickly absorbed.

Moisturiser – Embryolise £14.68
Toner – Body Shop Aloe Calming Toner £6.35
Tissue Off Cleanser/Eye Makeup Remover - Dermalogica UltraCalming Cleanser £17.30
Makeup Wipes – Sainsbury's Cosmetic Wipes £1.45
Vaseline – For prepping lips £1.15 at Boots
Moisturising Body Lotion - Vaseline Intensive Care Aloe Fresh £2.45

If you are doing bridal or any job that requires the makeup to last add a good primer such as Smashbox Photo Finish £26.75 to your kit.

Foundation
This is one area of your kit you do not what to skimp on and I would definitely advise you go for a pro brand over a drug store product so you can be sure that the base you chose will read well on camera.

It is also important to know that you don’t need to carry all the colours under the sun. A competent makeup artist should be able to mix the right shade for any client from a small selection of bases.

The foundation you use in your kit is quite a personal choice so you need to play around with as many brands as you can get your hands on to find out what is right for you.

I prefer working with liquids and find that MUFE performs really well for me. Here is a list of shades that would build an excellent starter kit for covering a wide range of skin tones.

Make Up For Ever HD £27.03 each – 110, 120, 140, 155, 170, 180
Make Up For Ever Face & Body £22 each – 02, 12, 26, 48

If you prefer cream bases the RCMA Sampler Palettes in Shinto $60 and KO $60 should cover everyone that sits in your chair and is a favourite of many artists.

Graftobian, Cinema Secrets, Face Atelier and Yaby are also popular brands amongst pros.

Concealer
You need a concealer of a consistency that you find easy to work with which blends nicely and gives good coverage for dark circles and blemishes. As with the foundation try out as many as you can to see what works for you.

The following shades should give you a good range of colours that can be mixed to get the shade you need.

MAC Select Cover-Up £10.77 - NW15, NC20, NW20, NW30, NW40, NW50

Setting Powder
Powder is essential for setting your makeup and counteracting shine. There is a whole array of powders on the market but a good translucent loose powder is all you need to get started.

Ben Nye's Neutral Set £4.99 is perfect for this.

All prices were correct at the time this was posted and do not include any pro discount that may be available to you.

If any other artists reading this have product suggestions please feel free to share them with us and leave a comment.

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Blogs to Bookmark: Design Is Mine

A good artist of any medium takes inspiration from everything they see, feel and touch around them even if they are not conscious of it all the time.

Design Is Mine, often gets the creative juices flowing for me, particularly with Summer Allen-Gibson's '10 pictures of inspiration' posts. The Props, colours, locations and even the mood of the images she showcases often spark an idea in me even if its not a fashion or beauty related post.

Creatives soak up ideas, thoughts and feelings associated with images all the time and often its more productive to be inspired by a piece of art that has nothing to do with makeup or fashion.

I'm sure we have all seen a photo or editorial that literally stops you in your tracks. You cant stop thinking about that image and you feel inspired to do something similar but recreating a particular look whilst still putting your own spin on it can be hard when what you really wish is that you had thought of it first!

By looking at other creative fields you can often come up with something more original because you are not trying to better an existing image of the same style or have any pre-conceived ideas about what the makeup should look like.

I have been wanting to do a shoot with a bike since forever and when I saw Summer's post. 'ten images of inspiration : i want to ride my bicycle' it made me want to follow it through and get planning. Here is a sample of Summer's post but please click the link to see the whole post.

ten images of inspiration : i want to ride my bicycle.
What is it that is so endearing about photographs of cute people with bicycles? I don't know why I love them so much, but I really, really do.


Let me know which sites you visit to get the creative juices flowing and leave a comment!

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Picture Sources: Olivia Bee, Gemma Booth, About.com (via Design Is Mine)

Links à la Mode

Links à la Mode is a round up of fashion, beauty and style posts written this week by members of the Independent Fashion Bloggers community. Enjoy!

A Few Goody GumDrops - A Few Goody Gumdrops asks…if you are coming apart at the seems then enter to win torn leggings from LnA!

Breakfast at Saks - Still sifting through Paris Fashion Week shows? Be sure to make time for Ann Demeulemeester F/W 09.10

Capitola Girl Jewelry Blog - Check, Please!

Consume or Consumed - Consume or Consumed Sees Double and Triple: On Buying Multiples

Couture Cult - CoutureCult.com: Alison Lewis (formerly of Mooka Kinney), Spring/Summer 09

Debutante Clothing - Missoni is Inspired By Vintage Modernist Necklaces

Dogmom’s Dish - Desperately Seeking Orla

Fashion Daydream - What your didn’t see at Fashion Week: A behind the scenes look into fashion week, fashionistas en route to the shows and models being made up.

Fashion Pulse Daily - reports on the latest colors for fall 2009 — the season isn’t comprised of various hues of black or even bright colors for that matter either.

Felicia Sullivan - beauty & styling products that work for curly, coarse hair, really work. part 1: frederic fekkai

fete a fete - Larkspur & Hawk’s GORGEOUS antique and vintage inspired

Independent Fashion Bloggers - Burnout Aversion Tips From Bloggers

reLYME - An analysis of the Persian-inspired trend that’s hitting the runway

Retro Chick - Top 5 Ways to have fun with no money

Shopping and Info - Shopping and Info found Gossip Girl scarves bags and jewelry oh my!

Solo Lisa - Sunny fashion picks inspired by Freida Pinto’s character in Slumdog Millionaire

Studio Purpura Fashion Blog - Shopping Hops in the Far & South East Asia! Photos to Come!

Style Symmetry - Check out my interview with Jennine of The Coveted!

Style With Anna - Fashion for Guys: How to Dress Like David Beckham

THE COVETED - Exclusive Video Preview & Tutorial: Benefit Smokin’ Eyes

the musings of ondo lady - Get ready for a retro prequel of Gossip Girl which is about the trials and tribulations of a teenage Lily van der Woodsen

What The Pros Do… - Spring Clean Your Makeup Kit!

6 Things To Consider When Designing Your Business Cards

The main purpose of a business card is to communicate your contact details to someone in a clear, concise easy to read format.

Your business cards are such an important tool as you never know when or where you are going to meet someone that might be interested in your services. If you getting chatting to someone at a party and they happen to be a photographer you will come across as professional if you can pull a nice card out your purse for them to keep rather than scrawling your email on a napkin.

Some people probably think it doesn’t really matter but when you work for yourself as a freelance artist you need to make every connection count and always want to leave people with the right impression that your organised, together and professional.

Here are a few things you should consider when designing your business cards.

What information should you have on your card?

This is probably obvious but make sure you include your name, job title, telephone no., email address and website. There's no need to list everything you do on your card, your job title is sufficient if your website lists your services. You don’t want someone to assume you don’t do something because its not on your card but neither do you want a list as long as your arm so keep it simple. If you don’t have a website, its not advisable to substitute a web address with a myspace profile or similar as it doesn’t come across as professional.

Images

Think carefully before adding an image to your business card. I personally think it makes more sense to keep it simple and leave pictures for comp cards but if you would like to add a sample of your work make sure it is a timeless image that you would still want someone to associate with you a year or more from now. Remember that people keep cards for a long time. Make sure that the image doesn’t interfere or detract from the text. A good place to put a picture is on the back of the card but be sure to use a landscape image if your card is printed in landscape. You probably need your card to be taken seriously and appeal to those in lots of different areas of your market, unless you want to carry around 10 different cards which is why I prefer not to use images. If you do want to create lots of different cards Moo.com could be a solution as they allow you to print several different pictures in each batch you order.

Size

It makes sense to use a standard card which is roughly 8.5cm x 5.5cm as this size, which is the size of a credit card, will fit nicely in a wallet, a business card file, Rolodex and in other words can be filed away and kept safe. I have been given cards that are too big for my business card file and they definitely go walk abouts when they cant be filed away properly.

Quality

Go for the best quality you can afford as a nice weigh stock with good clear printing will always make a better impression and appear more professional over a a blurred, flimsy, cheap card. There are lots of options, textures and finishes available when ordering your cards but don’t feel you have to go over board to impress. A nice thick white card stock will do just fine.

Fonts and colours.

The main objective is that your card is easy to read and pleasing to the eye so chose your colours and fonts with that in mind. This is also where your branding comes into play. It is a good idea to use the same text and colours as your website or comp cards so everything ties together and presents a professional front.

Free Templates

Most printers will offer a variety of free templates for you to add you contact details to but then you are in danger of having the same card as someone else in your market which is not a good thing. If you want to use a template chose a text based card with a plain background that you can customise the fonts and colours to create a card that is more unique to you.

Let me know if you have any tips of your own to add or a comment to make on business cards.

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Little Black Book: GoodPrint.com

Top 5 Tips For...Portfolio Building

You can get 50% off your http://www.goodprint.com/ order when you enter MCH764 at the check out!

Label Your Kit

While your spring cleaning your kit why not get labeling to help stop items in your kit going walk about.

Creature Comforts have 4 sets of gorgeous labels for you to download - for free!

You can use picture editing software such as Photoshop or Gimp to add your name or hand write your labels before sticking to your palettes and bottles with double sided tape and covering with sticky back paper.

Enjoy...

Find more DIY freebies from Creature Comforts here... :)

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POUT Fashion Networking Event 19th March 2009 Update

I'm looking forward to meeting some of you, for an afternoon of cakes and networking tomorrow afternoon.

POUT have just announce that Ruby&Millie will be sponsoring one of the featured guests, meaning some nice surprises in our gift bags!

They have also revealed there will be 3 special guests at the event - all of whom are apparently successful and fantastic at what they do in their area of the industry. You will be able to see live examples of their work, talk to them about their journey and make vital connections for future projects.

The event is open to make-up artists, designers, models, pr agents, editors, photographers and fashion bloggers so if you haven't secured your ticket yet click here...

Spring Clean Your Makeup Kit

Spring is definitely in the air today so what better time to give your kit a spring clean!

The best place to start with a spring clean is to have a clear out and get rid of any old or damaged products. If you have makeup in your kit that is past its expiry date its no longer going to be safe, clean or effective so there is no point holding on to something if its past its prime.

Nearly all cosmetics have an open jar symbol with the number of months you can safely use the product for once opened. If a products smell, colour or texture appears to have changed its definitely a sign a product should be tossed.

Unless otherwise stated on the product use these makeup expiry dates as a guide to how long you should keep a product once opened.

3 months
Mascara
6 months
Eye Cream
6-12 months
Toner
1 year
Moisturisers/Cleansers/Foundation/Concealer
1-2 years
Lipstick/Lip Pencils/Eye Pencils
2 years
Powders/Eye Shadow/Blush/Cream Blush

Give everything that's left a good wipe down. Cosmetic wipes and some paper towel are great for this plus you can spray palettes with alcohol to make sure they are clean and sanitary. Replace any travel bags that are worse for wear or have broken zips and give your main case or bag a really good scrub.

If you have any cracked or broken eye shadows or blushes that you just cant bare to part with check out this tutorial for re-pressing broken shadows from Enkore here...

Although you should be cleaning your brushes between each use to keep them sanitary a regular deep clean will help keep your brushes in good condition.

• Gently rinse your brush under the tap being careful not to let water run up into the handle.
• You can then use a tiny drop of shampoo in your hand and swirl the brush round until you have a nice lather.
• Rinse again making sure the water runs clear.
• Reshape the bristles and leave to dry hanging over the table edge so air can circulate all round the brush.
• Tip: For lip and eye liner brushes which can be harder to remove product from try rubbing a drop of olive oil into the bristles and wiping on a paper towel until most of the colour has come out before shampooing.

Finally replace any sponges and puffs in your kit that have seen better days and stock up on disposables as you will get a better deal if you buy in bulk at a beauty supply store every few months.

Throw your personal makeup bag in the wash or treat yourself to a nice new bag. I prefer clear travel bags as you can see what you have which saves time rummaging in the morning. They are also good as they can be wiped clean.

As a guide you should clean your personal brushes monthly and wash reusable sponges and powder puffs on a weekly basis so there is not a big build up of product or dirt.

To clean sponges and puffs rub an anti bacterial hand wash into the sponge whilst still dry and really work it into the areas that are stained with product. You can then rinse until the water runs clear and leave to air dry. If that seems like too much hard work most quality sponges can be put through a gentle cycle in your washing machine. You can get mesh sponge bags for use in machines from PAM

Although its good to have a blitz of your kit every few months to deep clean, restock and replace items in your kit it is essential that you keep on top of cleaning between jobs so your kit is sanitary. No one wants to work with an artist who's kit is dirty and disorganised. Take a look at my Top 5 Tips for Keeping Your Makeup Kit Clean and Sanitary.

Do you have any tips for keeping clean and organised? Share your thoughts in the comments section.

Related Post:
Go Green With Refillable Makeup Palettes
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Label Your Kit: Free Labels for Download

Picture Source: The beautiful spring blossom picture is from the Abby Try Again blog and can be bought as a print here.

POUT Fashion Networking Event 19th March 2009

POUT are holding a fantastic networking event for women in the fashion industry this Thursday 19th March in London.

The afternoon is a chance for makeup artists, hairstylists, models, photographers, stylists, designers, and fashion and beauty bloggers to network and get to know each other a little better over a relaxed afternoon of tea and cakes in West London.

It would be great to meet some of you so let me know if your going to be there so I can say hi!

Tickets are £5 which include all the lovely cakes and tea but they are limited so get yours quick! Visit POUT for tickets and more info.

Picture Source:Claudia Assas

Links to Love: FashionFace.tv

Makeup artists Samantha and Nicola Chapman have launched FashionFace.tv to better showcase the makeup tutorials that have bought them a huge following on their YouTube channel.

Sam and Nicola bring you everything from period looks from the 1920's through to the 1980's, celebrity inspired looks from Blondi to Beyonce and on trend looks from the catwalk and basic makeup application.

As well as the tutorials FashionFace.tv also has a forum where both pros and beauty fanatics can talk makeup, get help and advice and meet other like minded people. You can also follow Sam and Nicola on their blog here...

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Twitter...Whats it All About?

I succumbed to the lure of Twitter a while ago but I have only just managed to get my head around the whole business of tweeting so thought now was a good time to announce that you can Follow Me!

When I first signed up I'll admit I didn't really get what the fuss was about but I was determined to give it a try. I didn't think I had anything particularly interesting to say nor did I have a desire to know that random 'followers' were "eating breakfast!" or other trivial details of their day.

The more I persevered and followed others the more I began to understand that there was more to twitter than it seemed. I have since found that Twitter is a really powerful, fast paced tool that is excellent for sharing of information and staying connected with those around you.

For those that don't know, Twitter is basically a way of communicating with friends by exchanging short updates called Tweets which are limited to 140 characters or less. These messages are posted to your Twitter page, sent to your friends who are called 'Followers' and are searchable on Twitter search. To find out more about Twitter click here...

If you would like to Follow me and receive my updates on Twitter click here...

As I said before I'm not particularly interested if you are "eating lunch!" so I try not to inflict those kind of Tweets on my followers either. But what can you use twitter for?

I like that through Twitter you easily build a community of like minded people who are all swapping tit-bits of information. If I'm surfing the web and come across something I like or think others would be interested in I post a link telling my followers all about it on Twitter. I have found so many great blog posts and new websites that I have been introduced to through updates posted by those I follow.

I also often use twitter to announcing new blog posts or ask questions relating to a piece I'm thinking of writing to find out what peoples interest and opinions are on the topic. I like that I can also get a better understanding of those that are reading my blog and what you like by watching what you are tweeting.

Another great thing about twitter is there always seems to be someone there! Got a question and need an answer now? Tweet it and you will probably get an answer almost instantly from those Following you. Achieved something and want to shout it from the roof top? Someone will give you a virtual pat on the back. Struggling to find something or need inspiration? You could find just what you need by Tweeting the problem to your Followers.

Most of all Twitter is fun. You cant get too bogged down with floods of info when people can only send you short bursts that take seconds to read. Its then your choice if something catches your eye to follow the link.

Let me know what you think of Twitter. I would love to know what you use Twitter for so please leave a comment.

Tried and Tested: Japonesque Precision Lash Curler

This weekend I got the chance to try out the Japonesque Precision Lash Curler while I was assisting Ayami and I can tell you this tool is definitely top of my wish list now.

I like to curl the lashes when doing a makeup application but always find the standard curlers awkward to use and its not always easy to catch all the lashes depending on the models eye shape ect. With the Precision Curler that's not a problem.

I found that once I'd got the hang of handling the small stainless steel curler it was much easier to get into the root of the lashes and really open up the eyes. I also got much better results particularly when curling the outer corners than I did with the regular curler I was using before.

You can work along the lash line curling section by section to get an even curl throughout and with the rounded silicone pad you don't get a harsh line or bend but a smooth sweeping curl. Combined with the Lancome Cils Booster XL Super-Enhancing Mascara Base I got the longest curliest lashes ever on each models I worked on!

What Japonesque Say...

"The JAPONESQUE® Precision Eyelash Curler is the expert choice for its superior lash curl and close-up definition. This must- have tool is designed to create dramatic curl exactly where desired, curl the entire lash line or just add lift to the outer corner of the eye. The innovative stainless-steel narrow cage helps target a specific section of lashes for a perfect eye brightening curl. The curler is softly cushioned with a contoured pad for added comfort and control. Includes six refill pads in convenient travel case."

I am definitely a convert but would love to hear if any of you have tried the Japonesque Precision curler so leave a comment and let me know what you think.

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Picture Source: Karomanah 1980's

Top 10 Blogs To Bookmark

You may have noticed the top ten blogs to bookmark list pop up on my side bar last week so I thought I would let you know what these blogs are all about...

Calestine makeup artist Amy Chance shares her makeup obsessions and the work she does for high profile clients and magazines through her blog The Amy Face.



Jennine Tamm, founder of the Independent Fashion Bloggers, posts stylish self portraits on The Coveted to accompany her personal style posts as well as covering a wide variety of topics centred around style, beauty and fashion culture with contributors Sonja and Kezia.

Examples of fashion photography at its best are compiled on deMode to create an excellent resource for inspiration and research.

Kit Lee's blog The Fashion Assistant and Her Camera illustrates the fashion world through her behind the scenes pictures taken while working as a fashion stylists assistant.

Get your Parisian street style fix with Garance Dore. Beautiful fashion illustrations and street style photographs are showcased along side her well written personal thoughts on style, dressing and fashion trends.

Follow the trials and tribulations of Jessica Jean Myers, a Canadian makeup artist living and working in Shanghai.

Spoiled Pretty is the beauty bloggings of Daneen, who not only reviews makeup, skincare and beauty products but also gets to go behind the scenes to bring her readers interviews, trends and tips.

For those who err on the side of caution when it comes to fashion, live vicariously through fashion forward Susie Bubble. Amongst posts on designers, trends and anything that catches her eye Susie documents her amazing and sometimes outlandish outfits on her blog Style Bubble.

Follow the work of New York based pro, Lottie Stannard, through her blog Superfluous Lotstar.

The We Love Beauty blog has makeup artist profiles and interviews, how to's, tips and tricks and insider secrets from the likes of Billy B and Paul Starr all rolled into one.

I would love to know which blogs get your stamp of approval so let me know what you have bookmarked by leaving a comment. (please don't post your own blog!)

Top 3 Products Seen Backstage at Fashion Week

So what were the cult beauty products seen everywhere backstage this season? Here are the top three...

Evian Face Mist - This product was definitely a hit with the male models as I heard several requesting it back stage at both the James Long and Tim Soar shows at LFW!

This is a 3 in 1 product to moisturise and tone whilst re-hydrating the skin. The Evian Face Mist is a great prep product to refresh stressed out, tired skin. I also saw a few artists using the Evian spray to slightly moisten their sponges before using them to blend cream foundations.

Embryolisse Lait Creme Concentrate - I saw this stashed in many kits this season and here's why. Embryolisse Lait Creme Concentrate is a brilliant all round moisturiser that is particularly great for rescuing dry, flaky, dehydrated skin to give you a smooth and nourished canvas to work on.

Bioderma Crealine H2O Cleansing Solution - Yep another french brand with a cult following so next time you hop across the channel stock up. The Bioderma Crealine H2O Cleansing Solution is a super gentle, fragrance free, calming cleanser that performs.

I did a little investigating to find out what makes this popular cleanser so great so here's the science bit... "Solution of fatty acid esters, both emulgatory and filmogenous, enables dirt to be emulsified and surface hydrolipidic film to be reconstituted.Soothing and emollient, thanks to cucumber extract.Non detergent, non foaming, neutral pH. Soap free."

Let me know what the staples are in your kit that you couldn't do with out come fashion week. I would also be interested to know what you think of these products if you use them so leave a comment if you have something to add!

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Picture Source: CLTNYC

Understanding the Basics of Colour Theory

Knowing the theory behind colour is essential for any artist as an understanding of colour theory will help you when selecting and applying colour. Having an eye for colour and knowing what colours work together should also give you more confidence as a makeup artist.

Using a colour wheel can help you when designing makeup looks by guiding you when deciding on a colour palette or when looking for colours that will work to enhance a particular eye colour for example.

Here are the basics you should know about colour theory and the colour wheel.

Primary Colours
The Primary Colours are Red, Blue and Yellow and they cannot be made by mixing any other colours.

Secondary Colours
Two primary colours can be mixed to produce the Secondary Colours.
Red + Yellow = Orange
Red + Blue = Purple
Blue + Yellow = Green

Tertiary Colours
Tertiary colours can be made by mixing a primary with its adjacent secondary colour. See the wheel above for examples.

Warm and Cool
Red, Orange and Yellow tend to seem closer and stand out more than the cool colours Blue, Violet and Green which can appear to recede.

Complimentary Colours
Colours that are opposite each other on the wheel are complimentary colours and consist of one Primary and one Secondary colour. When these colours are placed next to each other they appear brightest and when mixed together will produce a neutral grey tone. To make a colour darker don’t add black but add its complimentary partner
The complimentary partners are Blue and Orange, Yellow and Violet, Red and Green.

Do you find the colour wheel helpful when designing makeup looks? Let me know if you found this post useful or if you have anything else to add by leaving a comment.