Siren Song - Collaboration with Laura Coughlan

Here are some of the final shots from a beautiful editorial shoot I did with the lovely Laura Coughlan a couple of months ago. I have been late uploading them because...the shoot got accepted by Mindgame Magazine, an amazing online mag full of new talent, have a lil look here.

I think the beautiful model Michaela looks like baby Megan Fox!

Fo her makeup look I used Diorskin Forever foundation, one of my all time faves which photographs like a deam. I used lots of Kevyn Aucoin Candelight Highlighting Powder to give he skin an ethereal glow. I used shades of lilac from MAC around the eyes and finished off with a lip colour I made myself by mixing MAC 'Chilli' and 'Rebel'.

Photography: Laura Caughlan
See her work here
Hair: Daniel Taylor
Styling: Allison Hayes
Model: Michaela @ Lenis Model Management

Monthly Favourites

May and June have been  busy months to say the least, and this I do feel like I have made some major beauty discoveries, having changed a lot of key items in my makeup bag, particularly facial products. All the following I have been using for a month or over, so I can testify to the product working successfully (especially true with the skincare)

L-R: Bioderma, MAC, Estee Lauder, Algenist, Philip B


I gave in and bought two classic and very well reviewed products this month, and both, I can safely say, live up to the hype. If you regularly read beauty blogs and beauty columns, it is near impossible not to have heard of these two! The first is Bioderma Cleanser, which I picked up in Paris when I went in April. This product is available in the UK, but it is very hard to get hold of, so I recommend using Amazon or other online retailers. This is something I use both in my kit and on myself, and has quickly become one of my skincare essentials. It removes every scrap of makeup, is gentle and non-drying (a nice surprise from a water-based cleanser) and has a lovely cooling sensation on the skin. Usually I only use oil/balm cleansers but I love how much cleaner and how refreshed this makes my skin feel.

The other well-loved product which I tried was Estee Lauder’s Double Wear Foundation in shade Ivory Nude. I tried a 10 day free sample from the promotion that they ran and I am completely and totally converted. I love a med-full coverage matte foundation, and Double Wear is the best I have ever tried. It is oil free, but also oil balancing, so it has a lovely non-greasy texture but can be used to balance both oiliness and dryness. It also has a buildable coverage and incredible staying power. I rushed out and bought the full size post pay-day, top marks.

MAC’s Mineralize Skinfinish Natural Powder in shade Light 2 is also an absolute necessity to me these days. I got this about 2 months ago, and I would describe this as a powder for people who don’t like powder. It has the most natural finish on the skin (as the name suggests!) gives a light, but buildable coverage. This is the antithesis of a cakey, heavy, fake-looking powder. Perfect on top of moisturiser for no makeup days, and just as perfect to set even heavy foundation in preparation for a night out. You need a brush to apply it, rather than a sponge, which may be a downside to some, but I promise you, it is so worth it.

From oldies to newbies, Algenist’s new Multi-Perfecting Pore Corrector Gel Moisturiser is a real find. Perfect for summer months, this moisturiser has a light gel texture and is oil free. The Alguronic Acid is repairing, protecting and regenerative to the skin, while Salicylic Acid helps to clear blocked pores. This product is instantly absorbed and boosts radiance, refines the surface of the skin and locks in moisture. I have combination skin and this suits me down to the ground. I use it morning and night, at night over a serum to add a little extra moisture.

The final product that really stood out for me this month was one which I have a minor obsession with, Philip B’s Oud Royal Perfect Finish Shaping Fiber. Yes it has a rather cryptic name, but don’t let that put you off. This is a shaping and styling wax for the hair. Grab a fingerful, get it in the palm of your hands and clap your hands until the product gets gummy and white fibres start to fly in all directions (this part is pretty weird first time you do it) Then work into your hair at the roots to give tonnes of volume and shape, or at the tips to enhance curls. The best thing is that the product disappears almost instantly but leaves your hair weightless. Again, this one is a little tricky to get hold of but I promise you your money and efforts will be worth it.

Off To The Races

This shoot was one of the finals for my project last term at uni, loosely inspired by Lana Del Rey. I have an obsession with black lips at the moment, and I created this look by using MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack, which is actually a gel eyeliner, and a tiny lip brush. Not so practical in the real world but perfect for shoots. If anyone knows of a really good quality matte black lipstick I'd love to know!

Photography and Postproduction: Anup Kumar Pandey (see his work here)
Model: Aymee (Model Mayhem #2987646)
Styling: Own using Bundle Maclaren Millinary
MUA/Hair: Me

Festival Checklist

Love a bit of Beni 2011 (I'm in blue)

One part of the summer that we all look forward to is probably the myriad of different festivals we now host and attend. Personally, the logistical and meteorological disaster that was Creamfields 2012 is still too fresh in my mind and it will be a good few years before I can physically bring myself to attend one again. However, most people are far more dedicated and mud-hardy than I am (i.e. most people are not as big a pussy as I am) What to pack is usually a dilemma faced by festival-goers, so I have put together a little beauty checklist to get you through your (wet and) wild weekend.

1)      Suncream with UVA and UVB protection

This is so essential. Whether the sun does makes an appearance or not, think of all the exposure you’re getting. Damaging UVA (aging) and UVB (burning) rays can travel through clouds and any weather. Aging from the sun and environment accounts for 90% of the environmental aging of the skin; this is not a statistic to be sneered at if you are spending solid days and nights outdoors. Kiehl’s sunscreen is my favourite, but most of us have spent our student loans by this stage and Boots have a great sun protection range for a smaller budget.

2)      Elizabeth Arden’s 8 Hour Cream

8 Hour Cream is a fantastic cosmetic for lips, eyes and brows, but its herbal healing properties are also amazing on minor ailments such as cuts, bruises, insect bites, grazes, chapped skin and sunburn making it a good first aid item. Great for applying loose glitter to the skin with as well, because its a festival and you’re allowed

3)      Batiste Dry Shampoo

I probably don’t even need to write this one as it is such a well know favourite but Batiste really is a lifesaver for greasy, lank hair as it mattifies all the oiliness and gives you a bit of volume. Owners of a fringe will appreciate this more than most as it stops the dreaded split-and-clump situation.

4)      A Good Base

Have you ever spent hours on the perfect makeup base to have it all sweated/rained/smeared off in a drunken haze? Save your money and your time by going for an easy and simple combination that you can top up on the go. I would recommend a primer, BB cream or tinted moisturiser followed up by a powder which gives coverage, which you can also take out and about with you. My perfect combination would probably be Kiehl’s new BB Cream with SPF 50 followed up by MAC’s Mineralize Skinfinish Natural Powder, which I can safely say is the nicest powder I have ever used.

5)      Forget the Lipstick

Like the perfect base, the perfect lip might not be maintainable through out the day. I would go for something sheer like Revlon’s Lip Butters which give moisturising colour, and can be applied relatively mirror free (if you’re careful). If your lips have a tendency to get dry, keep some clear gloss on hand to top up the colour and keep your lips moisturised.

6)      Water Resistant Eye Makeup

As most people know, waterproof mascara is a bit rubbish, but get a water resistant one and it will still survive a day in the elements AND still be an effective product. Plus, but the end of the day it should go a little bit smudgy in a sexy, smoky way. I would probably pair this with a gel liner rather than a kohl one, as they have more staying power but can still be blended and used on the waterline of your eye .

7)      Something Fun

Whether it’s jewels, glitter, transfers, the blue eyeliner you bought and never used, neon pigment, or none of the above, treat yourself to something a bit quirky and try it out, I dare you.

How To Keep Your Makeup On All Night

If this is you at the end of a night on the tiles, you might want to read this, the drunk girl’s guide to staying pretty. Whether you go for full on makeup on a night out or stay pretty natural, after drinks and dancing your makeup may not be ready for the photos that will inevitably be taken, put on Facebook, and tagged for all (and your mother) to see. 

Pick your problem from the list below:

1)      HELP! My makeup has melted off!

2 words for you love, primer and powder. Before you spend ages applying the perfect foundation base, make sure you have prepped (cleanse tone moisturise) as makeup sits better on clean skin. Then apply a primer to keep your base on your face. My personal faves are MAC's Strobe Cream  for dry skin types and Benefit’s Porefessional for oily/combination skin.

After you’ve applied foundation and concealer, make sure you give your face a good once over with a loose or mineral powder to set the makeup you have applied. Think of it as a sandwich. Foundation is the cheese, it needs 2 slices of bread to stick to.

2)      HELP! I’m so shiny!

Your skin naturally produces oil and sweat (yum) especially when you are in hot, humid environments. Skin blotting papers or bringing a pressed powder with you are excellent solutions to that problem.

3)      HELP! I have panda eyes!

If eyeshadow is your problem, using an eye base (Laura Mercier and Urban Decay do excellent eyeshadow bases) is essentially using a primer for your eyes; it will give the shadow something to stick to.

If its mascara, I’d recommend investing in a pair of false lashes for the night. Good ones are comfortable and come in all varieties from super natural to whatever Holly on Geordie Shore uses.  My brand of choice is Eyelure, they are good quality and anything more expensive feels like a rip off as I always lose them after 1 use. You don’t have to spend a fortune on the lashes, Primark do decent ones for a pound, but DO get good glue like Duo Glue. There is nothing worse than a lash coming unstuck halfway through the night and flapping around.

4)      HELP! My lipstick is a hot mess!

If you are going for a bold colour that you want to last all night, use a lip liner first and after outlining your lips, colour them in. This pencil base will give your lipstick something to stick to and will help the colour last. Slick your colour on top, blot on tissue and repeat. ALWAYS suck your finger to avoid getting it on your teeth like Paris.

When you top up your lipstick during the night, avoid getting a wonky line by only applying the lipstick in the middle of your lips and blending it to the edges with your pinky.

A top tip is to always have a clear gloss that you can pop on near the end of the night. This will help disguise any imperfections.

5)      HELP!  I look like a ghost in front of the camera!

This is especially bad if you’re a fake tan fan, because orange body/white face is not a good look. Before you go out, blend a bit of bronzer, or a lot if you’re as pale as I am, on your cheekbones and temples, as this will warm your skin up and stop it looking flat. If you choose one with flecks of gold in it will not only give you colour but also a bit of luminosity and a health glow.

REMEBER if all else fails, hairspray your face before you go out. It’s probably awful for your skin but sometimes you need a quick fix and meh, it works.

5 Makeup Hero Products

This week, Sali Hughes wrote an article for The Guardian about her 50 greatest beauty products of all time, which is a definite must-read for any beauty obsessives, I highly recommend it. Articles like this are right up my street, I love finding out about new products from across the beauty industry and there is nothing more reassuring than a tried-and-tested personal recommendation. Here is my own mini collection of my five favourite makeup products which I couldn’t live without – the contents of my makeup bag are almost constantly changing, but here are 5 staples which always stay the same:

1  1)   Touche Éclat – Yves Saint Laurent

This really is such a handy product to have and a worthwhile investment. This is a product that lives up to the hype.  I have tried other brand’s versions, both cheaper and of a similar price and honestly nothing compares. (Apart from the By Terry products by the same creator) it’s lovely on a no makeup day to wake your skin up a bit or equally as nice on top of makeup for extra highlighting. Go have some fun with it, you won’t be disappointed.

2)      Lipsticks in ‘Cherish’ (nude) and ‘Chilli’ (red) – MAC

Cherish (left) Chilli (right)

Wearing Cherish

Wearing Chilli

Every girl needs a perfect red and an everyday staple lipstick, and MAC’s matte shades are my absolute favourite. The cocoa butter formula is nourishing and keeps lips moisturised but it’s the colour payoff which really impresses me, it’s absolutely fantastic, rich, long-lasting colour. ‘Cherish’ is a browny-neutral which is nude without being chalky and so easy to wear.  ‘Chilli’ is a deep red which looks beautiful on most skin tones – it’s my go-to red for using on photoshoots, as well as on myself. 

3)      2000 Calorie Mascara – Maxfactor

Before

After

I’ve done a blog post raving about this mascara before, read it here, so I won’t go into too much depth, but it really is the best mascara that I have ever used. It does everything you’d want; lengthening, thickening, volumising etc. Its waterproof enough for all but swimming and it never seems to dry out or go clumpy. Plus its cheap, £8 well spent!

4)      Duo Adhesive

This may seem like a weird choice, but I am a huge fan of false eyelashes and the glue that they come with is usually rubbish and/or irritating to the eyes. Although the eyelashes are always different, the glue will always be the same. I find that it is better than Eyelure or Shu Uemura’s glue. Duo dries quickly, lasts AGES (you can wear your lashes all night, I never have to touch them up) and it’s gentle. I wear contacts and I still get on great with this. You can buy this online, from MAC or Inglot for around £10. The tubes pretty big, it usually lasts me 6-9 months.

5)       24/7 Eyeliner in ‘Perversion’ – Urban Decay

Urban Decay is not a brand that know very well but I can say that their eyeliners are incredible. ‘Perversion’ is the darkest black, though they have a huge range of colours; it has a great colour payoff and will last all day and the next, if you’re feeling lazy with your cleanser. It is really soft and smudgeable but it sets after a few minutes so you can play with it and use it however suits you best. Again, I have tried many other brands of all different price ranges and nothing compares to this, in my opinion. 

I hope you enjoyed my recommendations, I’d love to know if you’ve tried any of them yourself or if you have any makeup essentials you’d like to share!

Love/Hate List - January

Last month I tried lots of beauty products, some lovely and some not so lovely. I thought I’d do a little round up of my best and worst of January, enjoy!

THE GOOD

Jurlique Balancing Day Care Cream

I’ve started using this as a day moisturiser and I absolutely love it. It’s soothing, rich without being greasy, and keeps my skin hydrated and supple throughout the day. It absorbs quickly and you can put makeup straight over the top of it. You get a huge tube of it as well, making it good value for the money you spend.

Any downsides? It smells very floral which may not appeal to some, and it though its good value, it isn’t cheap. 

 

MAC Paint Pot in Bare Study

This is such a gorgeous eye product and its multi-purpose, which makes me love it even more. I like all MAC’s paint pots but this champagne colour is my favourite. Wear it alone for a subtle creamy shimmer on the eyelid, or use it as a base/primer for your shadow.  You can also dot it into the inner corner of your eye to make your eyes appear more awake, and use it to highlight the brow bone.  

Any downsides? May crease on greasier skin types but I haven’t found it to be a problem so far.

Superdrug Tea Tree Spot Stick

This is a fantastic targeted blemish buster. It has peppermint oil and tea tree oil in to kill the bacteria in the blemish. Plus, it is a gel, so it won’t go crusty or dry a weird colour, it goes on transparent. It’s the best one that I’ve used in a long time, and it’s cheaper than the chips that gave you the spot at about £2.  

Any downsides? No!

Benefit High Beam

I feel like sometimes Benefit get a bad rep as a brand for being a bit gimicky, which isn’t really fair because there are some products that they do really well. High Beam is one of the best highlighters I’ve ever used and I rediscovered it after I got it for Christmas. I’ve been mixing it with Touche Eclat and buffing it  around my eyes and cheekbones to get rid of dullness and dark circles.

Any downsides? It may not work on some skin tones, I find as I am quite fair it works well on me. Try Moon Beam if you’re more olive.

THE BAD

Elizabeth Arden Peel and Reveal Revitalizing Treatment

Maybe it’s just me, but this did not work on my skin AT ALL. It stung, and it made me break out. There are lots of enzymic fruit extracts in here which may have been too much for sensitive skin. Also, it looks like a layer of skin when you peel it off, which quite frankly is gross.

Any positives? More resilient skin types may get on better with this than I did.

St Ives Apricot Scrub (Gentle)

I tried this once or twice and banished it from my face to my bottom because that is the only place I felt it deserved to exfoliate.  I broke out really badly after using it. It’s a classic so I thought I’d give it a go when my Lush scrub ran out, but I was not impressed.

Any positives? It smelled nice. But that was little consolation.

La Prairie Foaming Cleanser

I received a tester of this for free (no way could my student budget afford to buy the real thing!) and gave it a go for a couple of weeks. It was so drying I had to stop using it, and it stung painfully if I got it near my eyes.  I’m not the biggest fan of foaming cleansers anyway, but if you are, I’m sure you could find a much nicer one for a fraction of the price.

Any positives?  No.

MAC Face and Body Foundation

I respect that this has a bit of a cult following and I do think that it’s lovely on the body. On the face however, I find that it has little staying power even when powdered. It’s very light coverage but thickens when you work with it, however I find the consistency still too light, and too wet. Also, and this is just me, I don’t like the smell of it, it smells a bit plastic-y.

Any positives? Lots of people love this product. Also, if you already have perfect skin and no blemishes or dark circles, it does the job well.