Lets talk about Brow products.

Many people don't realise the importance of filling in your eyebrows when doing your makeup. I was introduced to the world of brow enhancing when I began my diploma of Specialised Makeup Services and I have never looked back.  Filling in your brows is one of the key features that completes a look.  It’s your brows which define your face. Having great shaped brows makes it a whole lot easier to apply your makeup. If you’re struggling in that department it's good to see a professional a few times to try and help you achieve the right shape for your face.

For myself, I have very straight, fair eyebrows that angle upward; I look bare if I have not defined them. My brows do not naturally have a lot of shape, but if I'm feeling like I want an arch on any given day I will use my brow products to achieve this.  Here is a review on some products I have tried.
 

L'Oréal Superliner Brow Artist penciI; I am really impressed with this product; it has every essential component in one item.  With it being a double ended pencil, it allows for you to brush, define and set. The lid has a soft tip brush so you can fix your brows in place. One end is the pencil which is nice and creamy and the other end is a clear wax to set the brows. Despite the fact that this is a pharmaceutical brand it actually rates as one of my favourite products for personal use, I generally use it for my every day  makeup as it's very natural looking. This product retails for $22.95 but there is generally a L'Oréal sale where you can find it at a cheaper price.

 

 

 

Revlon Colorstay Browmaker; is a great product if you already have perfectly shaped brows and just want to make them look darker. This really needs the hair to adhere to, so if you are wanting to change the shape or lengthen your brows I would not suggest this product. This  product is  incredibly natural looking on brunettes but I have found it throws a little tinge of red on blondes. Recommended retail is  $25.95 but  it's  easily found at discounted prices too.

 

 

MAC Veluxe Brow Liner; is not one of my favourite brow defining products, it is a powdery formula so it doesn't seem to fill in the brows as easily as other pencils. I find a creamier pencil easier to work with, especially when you are wanting to change the shape of the brows. The one thing I do really like about this pencil is the wand at the other end to brush your brows in place. This product is $32.00.

 

 MAC Eye Brow pencil; on the other hand is one of my favourites and this is the one I use on my clients. As you can see from the picture above this pencil is so fine which means you can get the most definition and shape into the brow. It looks incredibly natural and there is no sharpener required. The only down fall about this product is if you’re going to be using it every day, it runs out rather quickly, which is why I choose to use the cheaper L'Oréal pencil for everyday use.  The MAC Eye Brow pencil retails for $30.00.

Makeup Forever Aqua Brow; is the holy grail of eyebrow products. This is something I purchased at Salon Melbourne recently, I only bought one to suit my own colouring but as I have fallen in love with this product, I plan on getting the other shades for my clients. This is a highly pigmented gel that you can easily define, lengthen and reshape the brows. It's also waterproof so once it has set, it does not budge. I even put it to the test in a recent underwater shoot, the brows stayed perfectly in place. This product requires a little more care with application so I don't use it every day. Makeup Forever is a little harder to for us Australian consumers, but you can purchase their products online.

Kelly.
 

 

MAC Mineralize Charged Water Skin Hydrating Mist

This product is a hydrating spray that you can use prior to moisturiser and makeup application, then again after your makeup is complete. The purpose of this spray is to hydrate the skin so it is best suited for normal/dry skin types, it also leaves the skin looking quite luminous thanks to the diamond powder which is one of the key ingredients.

 I actually bought this product a while ago but didn't fall in love with it straight away because I didn't like the feeling of a liquid spray on my skin after I had applied my makeup. I now think I was holding it too close to my face when spraying so it sat on the shelf for a while. Then, a couple of months ago, I decided to give it a second chance and I'm so glad that I did!

 

If I have cleansed my skin the night before, I don’t usually cleanse again in the morning. Now I choose to use MAC Mist after my shower as part of my daily routine, just a couple of sprays of this before my moisturiser. It's so refreshing and hydrating to the skin and you have a nice dewy base. I think the best part about this product is that when you spray it on after you have powdered it takes away any sort of cakeyness that may have been caused by the powder. It really does brighten and illuminate the skin.

Clients I have used MAC Mist on have also loved the effect on the skin. This is actually a product that you can use anytime of the day, you can carry it in your bag and if you feel like you're looking a bit flat or matte you can use it to make your skin look revitalized and radiant. The design of the bottle makes it very easy to transport as the twist lock on the lid is what determines whether you are able to spray it or not. At $32.00 for 100mm it is not overly expensive for a MAC product and let’s face it, anything that has crushed diamonds in it is a winner for me!

Kelly.

Male Grooming

Today's stylish and sophisticated man is concerned with how he looks and why shouldn't he be? There have been many studies proving that we judge someone on how they look within the first seven seconds of meeting them. More men are choosing to look after their skin and an increasing number of men purchase skincare products. Some are even going the next step and are wearing a little makeup. On the counters I have served many men wanting to buy a concealer to hide their dark circles or blemishes etc. I could see they were embarrassed and felt uncomfortable asking, they were masculine men just wanting to hide some imperfections and have a little help to look their best.

Adding to their daily routine of shaving men should be cleaning and treating their skin with products to suit their skin type. Biotherm is a cosmetic house that has a wide range of skincare products exclusively designed for men, from shaving products, cleansers, toners, exfoliators, moisturisers, serums and eye creams etc. Men are starting to realise that skincare is not just for women and it's not just about wanting to look better and age well, it's also about health. Men should be at least wearing sunscreen to protect themselves from skin cancers and they also need the moisturisers that are filled with protective antioxidants. Protecting the skin is the most important reason why men should be investing in skincare.

Some men are taking the next step and wearing makeup to accentuate their features and hide imperfections, the trick is to make it look as natural as possible and virtually undetectable. In the photos below on this client I have applied foundation to even out the skin tone and concealer to hide blemishes, a tiny bit of cream blush to add colour to the cheeks, some bronzing powder to do a little contouring, and some mascara to open up the eyes. The purpose of this was for a business profile photo. This client would not wear makeup on a daily basis but there is no doubt this is very natural looking and made a huge difference to the professional images he is putting out to the market place. He was very pleased with the results of the photo shoot.

I don't think many women would like their partners in the mirror next to them making up their face but on occasions makeup for men can serve a purpose. Women should definitely be encouraging their men to invest in skincare, there is nothing wrong with a fresh looking face.

Kelly.

Had to share the amazing work of MUA Emma Allen, makeup really is an art!

http://www.popsugar.com.au/beauty/Refinery-29-Beauty-Video-Makeup-Artist-Emma-Allen-34041328

CHANEL JOUES CONTRASTE POWDER BLUSH - ROUGE 79

Along with doing my freelance work I am also a makeup artist for an agency, it really has its advantages as I have the pleasure of working with many different brands. Recently while I was working for Chanel I was so taken by this particular blush I had to purchase it straight away, it is so highly pigmented and such a striking red colour it has been a great asset to my kit.

 

Called Rouge this blush is as red as they come which can be a problem if not applied correctly, the pigment is so strong you only need the tiniest amount which is a great thing as it will last you forever. When applying I take a gentle goats hair angled blush brush and lightly touch the pressed blush picking up a very small amount of product. Once I have applied to the cheekbones and blended I then use my MAC 182 brush to really buff the product into the skin, blending and buffing is the trick to applying this blush. Starting off very lightly and building to a more intense look if desired.

 

Rouge is a fantastic blush for deeper skin tones because it is so rich in colour and for those girls that love their blush bold and dramatic. For myself who is on the paler side of white I can achieve a very natural flush of colour with the smallest amount. being a scarlet red colour it ties in beautifully with MAC What a Blast Pro longwear lip pencil and MAC Red A23 lipstick.

As you can see from the photos there is a gold shimmer in this blush but it is a little more subtle on the skin, good news is it just gives your cheeks a healthy glow rather than making your face look like a glittering disco ball so it's suitable for all ages.

Being Chanel it does come with the expensive price tag of $71.00 but I must say I think it's worth it as it is so highly pigmented, is extremely blendable, such a small amount goes a long way and it lasts all day. I'm very impressed with this blush, the pigment in the other Joues Contraste colours did not compare so I wouldn't say they are all worth the money.

Formals.

 

How do you decide what type of makeup you want for your formal? In my opinion it's important you choose what type of makeup you would like after you have bought your dress. Depending on the style of dress will depend on whether you should have dramatic eyes or a bold lip. To make it easier for your makeup artist make sure you can show them a photo of your dress. If you have a classic style dress a classic makeup style will match. If you have a bright and busy dress keep your makeup simple, a winged eyeliner is all you need on your eyes as shown in the very last photo on this post. If you're someone who can get a little oily through the night, something you should carry in your purse is blotting paper. Modelsprefer make one which you can purchase at Priceline, the paper soaks up any excess oil without absorbing your makeup. It minimises you from having to reapply powder therefore preventing your face from getting that cakey look. Make sure you have the right colour lipstick or gloss in your purse so you can reapply through the night. Most importantly have fun at your formal, most people look their best when they are happy and smiling :-)

 

Removing your makeup

An essential part of your nightly routine is the steps in removing your makeup and taking care of your skin. When you do not remove your makeup the skin is unable to breathe (secrete sebum). The makeup will block and clog your pores which cause acne or lifeless looking skin, therefore you should never go to bed with your makeup on.

Take your eye makeup ...off with a remover using a cotton pad and cotton tip, leaving your eye makeup on can cause irritation or even an infection so it's very important to follow this step.

Make sure you have a cleanser that is best suited to your skin, generally speaking cream cleansers are best suited for dry skin and clear cleansers for oily skin. Wash your face with the cleanser, sometimes you might require a double cleanse if you have been wearing a lot of makeup. Something I learnt in Beauty Therapy is to rinse your face using an organic cotton Muslin cloth, it is soft on your skin and leaves it feeling fresh and pampered.

Next step is to apply a toner, without getting too technical it is very important to apply this, a toner will restore the ph levels that the cleanser has stripped out.

Apply a serum, the most common benefits of using a serum is hydration, brightening and nourishing the skin. There are so many serums on the market that can target specific problems of the skin like acne, skin tone correcting, anti aging etc. So it’s best to find one best suited to you.

Finally apply your night cream! During the night is when our skin peaks at absorbing ingredients, this is why you need a night cream that is heavier and more intensive than your day cream.