Some Of My Favourite Images From My Portfolio

Here is a selection of some of my favourite images from my portfolio head over to www.facebook.com/SEBmakeupartist I also have lots of blog posts, product reviews and tips on my page :))))

Make Up Academy Nail Constellation in Shade Leo

Hi All,

I have been so excited to share this image with you of these amazing Nail Constellations by MUA, I ordered shade Leo I had to be true to my star sign ;-).

I used Nails Inc Nail Varnish for the base as I do not have any MUA in purple as yet.

I had a little trouble getting the beads to come out of the funnel, but when I turned the product upside down the beads came out but they seemed to come out of areas other than the funnel, I am not sure if their was a little hole somewhere. I used a bowl to catch all the beads, as I do not want to waste any. (You can pour them back into the bottle by taking the top off and turning it upside down) All this is explained on MUA’S blog if you have any trouble and their website.

To apply the bead onto my nail I rubbed the chosen nail into the bowl and gathered the beads onto my nail this way, any gaps I had I picked up the beads with my index finger on the other hand and applied them to the nail.

I am so impressed with the effect this has given; I cannot wait to get the rest of the collection. RRP £3.00 (Bargain)

Head over to www.muastore.co.uk to see the whole collection plus youtube videos for tips on application. :-)) You will not be disappointed.

Make Up Academy just keep getting better and better, value for money, great quality and great choice of products.

Have Fun x

Back to Basics - My Top Pick Of The Best Brushes to enable you to create your daytime make up looks.

My Top Make Up Brushes For Your Basic Day to Day Make Up

Back 2 Basic’s Ladies – My pick of the top Brushes are all listed below to enable you to create your basic daytime make up looks.

1)                  Foundation Brush - A good foundation brush is a must for creating flawless skin all day long. Try Real Techniques Stippling Brush RRP £11.99. You can apply foundation with this, along with powder and cream blushers. To get a brush that you can use for different products is a very good investment. Another amazing brush similar to this is Sigma Kabuki Flat Headed Brush F80, this you can buy from Amazon RRP £20.00, it does state this is only used for the chin, forehead and cheeks but I use it all over my face and it works perfectly.

2)                  Powder Brush – This brush is used for setting your foundation, if you have oily skin it is best to powder all over the face with a light dusting but if your skin is normal/combination just powder your forehead, chin and nose, leave your cheeks to glow. But if you prefer a more Matte look then dust all over. I use a smaller brush for the sides of my nose and just under my nose, I will let you know which one this is soon. For powder setting try Eco Tools Powder Brush RRP £9.99 or Real Techniques Powder Brush RRP £12.99

3)                  Eye Shadow Brush – A must for your daytime eye shadow application. Try Real Techniques Shading Brush, RRP 7.99. Little tip for you, when applying your eye shadow do not apply like a car wind screen wiper i.e. wiping the product side to side, but instead gently pat on the eye shadow with the flat side of the brush. 

4)                   Eye Shadow Blending Brush – A very important brush to have in your make up bag I cannot do without mine now, they are a little gem. Even if your are not wearing much eye shadow, say for instance you are wearing a lightish shade for the daytime and would like to add a darker colour into the socket line, this brush is amazing for blending the colours together, this will make any harsh lines disappear and create an even look. Try Sigma Beauty Tapered Blending Brush E40, (I have this one and it is very good) RRP £14.25 from Amazon. Little tip for you all, when using your blending brush move in circular motions very lightly, so you are creating a feathery tickling effect on the eye. As I mentioned above I use a smaller brush for setting powder around my nose well this is the one :-)

5)                  Brow Brush to Groom & Shape – Your brows I think personally are the most important feature on your face as they frame your face and draw attention to your eyes so grooming and shaping them is very important. Try Sigma Small Angle Brush E65 RRP £11.99 from Amazon for filling in your brows with a brow kit, and I recommend MAC 204 Brush RRP £8.00 for shaping your brows, this is advertised as a lash brush but I use it on my brows and I love it. Or try Real Techniques Lash & Brow Brush RRP £6.99, this one is great for grooming brows and separating your lashes once you have applied your mascara. 

6)                  Blusher Brush - Remember to add that pop of colour to your cheeks, I recommend The Body Shops Blusher Brush RRP 12.00, start on the apples of you cheeks in circular movements and brush upwards towards your hairline. This brush will also contour and blend in your product very well. Only designed for powder products.

7)                  Liner Brush – A great little tool for making sure your liner is applied precisely and even when using a gel, cake or liquid based product. Try Sigma Liner Brush E05 RRP £13.99 or Real Techniques Fine Liner Brush RRP £5.99, I recommend these as they have really pointy nibs and a tapered end which I think personally work the best for getting that precise line. 

8)                  Concealer Brush & Lipstick Brush – Not everyone uses a brush to conceal, but for blemishes I think they work the best as if you use your fingers you end up leaving the product around the blemish as well as on the blemish. So using a brush allows you to precisely add the product directly on top of the blemish. You can dab your finger on afterwards to blend in or use a brush, again you can use a blending brush for this (I do). Try Elf Concealer Brush RRP £1.50 or Body Shop Concealer and Lip Brush (kill two birds with one stone) RRP £ 9.00. I do use my finger to apply concealer into the corners of my eyes as with the warmth in your fingers it blends the product into the skin better. Always good to diminish those dark circles :-)

All Real Techniques can be purchased from Boots online or in store. Sigma brushes can be purchased on Amazon or on Sigma’s official website http://www.sigmabeauty.com

You can have all the amazing products but with the right tools you will find the application is much better and you get much better results. I have found over the last two years that this is very very true. My favourite brushes I have are my Sigma ones. If you would like to try a full collection of Sigma brushes head over to their website were you will find a full range of kits available. You can also purchase the full kits on Amazon. The kits do seem a bit pricey but don’t let that put you off as these brushes will last you a good 15-20 years if not more. But you must look after them, wash them with baby shampoo at least twice a week.

I hope this has helped you select some good tools for you make up bag. Any questions please let me know and I will be happy to help

Sarah x

Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation

Hey Guy’s,

I have been very excited to blog about this Foundation, I wanted to hold off for a couple of days when I got it just to make sure it sat on my skin correctly and did exactly what it said it will do on the bottle. Which it did :-)

I had been using the Lancôme Teint Miracle Foundation for quite a while, I had run out and wanted to try something new, I always think it is best to change foundations a couple of times a year.

I am very pleased to say that the Rimmel Foundation is a very very close match to the Lancôme one but without the hefty price tag. The only difference I can see is that the Rimmel one is a tiny bit thicker when it comes out of the pump, (but it is not thick on the skin). My skin looks flawless and healthy all day long. The brush in the image with the foundation is a F80 Flat Headed Kabuki brush made by Sigma, I apply this foundation with this brush and this really does help the product sink and buff into your skin. You can have good products but with the right tools you get an even better result. I use shade Soft Beige.

Benefits of Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation:

• Has small illuminating radiance particles in so it leaves your skin glowing all day
• You do not have to touch up all day as it sinks into your skin perfectly, and leaves a flawless pore less result.
• SPF 15
• Provides vitamin moisturising complex, I really like to have this in my products as I feel it keeps my skin hydrated all day.
• Eliminates signs of tiredness, thanks to the radiance pearls.
• You can build up the coverage to a full coverage if you wish. I like to have this option as some days I like more coverage than others. This means I do not need as much concealer.
• £8.99, but you can pick it up for £5.99 at the moment. A tad different to what I was paying which was £29.99 and I actually prefer this foundation. I love trying new products and seeing the difference and if there cheaper even better.

Rimmel Match Perfection Bronzer.

I wanted to add this into the blog as it matched the radiance theme I was aiming for; I wear this bronzer on top of my contouring product to give my face that extra glow. Great for adding a touch of colour to your skin. The brush in the image is a LG stipple brush from Applied Cosmetics; you can use this for foundation, bronzers and blushers. I only use this for foundation and bronzer palettes.

Thanks to the ladies that recommended this foundation to me, very very pleased with it. I would highly recommend this product if you like a glowy dewy finish to your skin.

Enjoy x

Bare Faced Tutorial as seen on the Catwalks SS13

New Blog Post - How to Look Super Gorgeous in 10 Minutes

Hi Ladies,

I know some of us find it hard in the mornings to take the time to pop our make up on, as you may have kiddies running around, your making there lunch and breakfast, or you have slept in ;).
The bare faced fresh look has been all over the catwalks recently, and I have become a huge fan of this look. I created this look on myself recently and it took me 10 minutes. (Not including skin preperation) All women love a perfect flawless skin so I have done some research and put together some products and tips for you all, so we all to can look like the catwalk beauty’s J
Please Cleanse, Tone, use Serum and Moisturise before any Make Up Application (In this order)

• Apply No7 Beautiful Skin BB Cream £12.95 (this cream comes in the 3 different skin types and 2 shades) to your cheeks, forehead, chin, and nose. Buff in with your foundation brush. This cream hydrates, hides redness and blemishes, and also includes a primer. You can mix this in with a highlighter or put on before your BB Cream, which will give your skin that extra glow, try Benefit High Beam Highlighter £18.50 or  No7 Skin Illuminator £11.00
• Conceal the areas you would like to disguise or would like a bit more coverage on, I conceal in the corners of my eyes, around my nose and on any blemishes I may have, try Benefit Boi-ing Concealer £16.50
• Apply a primer to your lid try MUA Eye Primer £2.50
• Groom Brows try MUA New Pro Brow Kit £3, and remember to seal in those stray hairs with the wax provided. This Brow Kit is a god send, J
• Apply a light shade of shadow to your lid, a light brown or nude colour, and a light highlighter shade to your brow bone. A good highlighter shade is MUA eye shadow in shade 1 (Pearl) £1
• Curl lashes and apply your chosen mascara to the top and bottom lashes
• Now time to contour and highlight your face, Using a contour palette try Sleek’s Palette £6.49, this has the contour powder and highlighter in one, (Result). To get a definite place to apply the contour powder suck in your cheeks or stick out your tongue, now apply the powder to the hollows of your cheeks moving in a upward motion towards your ear line, (remember to tap off the excess from the brush you don’t want to add to much on, it is easier to add more rather than wipe off), Now blend this in. I sometimes use my face powder brush to blend in. Now using the highlighter apply this to the tops of your cheeks above were you have just contoured (in a C shape up towards you’re your eye) and down the middle of your nose. I cannot believe the difference with contouring, my cheekbones really do stand out.
• Apply transculent powder just to the chin, around the nose and forehead, leave the rest of the skin to glow.
• Now apply a light shade of lipstick or lip-gloss. MUA do a great range of both products starting at just £1

There is a lot more to the contouring but for this type of daytime look the cheeks, nose and brow bone are absolutely fine. I will maybe do another blog on just the contouring were I can go further into detail for you. This does seem a lot to do in the space of 10 minutes when you’re reading it, but once you start and with a bit of practice it really does only take a short time. And the result super gorgeous skin, that everybody will be jealous of J.
I hope this has been informative, and any questions please do ask.
x

Kryolan Greasepaint Palette

Hi Guy’s,

I wanted to share with you a little on this look I created using @Kryolan Greasepaint Palette. This look is one of my favourite looks I have done up to date. I thought it maybe helpful to those of you who are studying make up to to see how I created the look.

For this shoot I wanted to add bold colours to my portfolio and shading. I matched out the two colours I used with my colour wheel these were blue and orange. I wanted the make up to look striking and colourful and to represent a futuristic or space age like look. The hair again I researched online I wanted a really bold up do to match the bold make up. I had my hairdresser come along to the photo shoot and do the hair for me, she did an amazing job, and just how I pictured it to be. A long thick up do along the front of the head.

How I created the Look

I used Greasepaint for the orange shading with my fingers around the cheekbones and going right up above the temple and into the hairline, I used again the same greasepaint (orange) on the lid near the lash line (using a thin shadow brush) of the eye to separate it from the blue. I added white eyeliner along the lower lash line and into the corner of the eyes. Black Liner was applied onto the waterline. The blue shadow I used was from Myface Cosmetics and was from the blingtone range this shade is a really vivid electric blue (bellbottom blue) so it went perfectly against the orange. The false lashes I used had a hint of blue on the tips, which I thought, worked perfectly with the blue shadow. I wanted the brows to be dramatic and dark, so I used a dark brow pencil plus my brow kit. For the lips I used a bright orange eyeliner as lip liner and filled in the whole lips with this, then added orange lipstick and gloss on top.

If any of you are looking for a palette that provides bright pigmented colours I would recommend this Greasepaint palette, this shows off the colour very strongly, just be sure to set it with powder or the same coloured eye shadow as the paint you are using, otherwise it may run.

This palette is very versatile I use it on nearly all of my shoots. I sometimes even use the black to cover the brows or to use as a base for a shadow. Check out Kryolans full collection here www.kryolan.com

x

Behind The Scenes at my Beauty Shoot

I thought I would share my behind the scenes pictures of the beauty shoot i took part in yesterday so you can see what goes on at a fun beauty shoot. I really enjoyed this shoot as I got the chance to really play with some colours, as we was shooting some shots with exotic fruit i got the chance to mix colours for the lipstick so it matched the fruit. The shoot was for Kevin Mganda NOTHING New Aztec Design Collection. The beautiful model we used was Victoria Middleton, Photographer Jakub Iwanicki and Hair @Bernadette hannay. It was a great experience to work with two models (one of which a male) and different skin tones. I also loved creating a natural beauty look with contouring and highlighting.

Make Up Academy - New Pro Brow Kit

MUA Pro Brow Kit

Make Up Academy has again amazed me with another new product, (one of many) the New Pro Brow Kit that comes in a sleek, stylish black compact.

This is in MUA’S Pro Range and costs only £3.50, a little less than my old Benefit Brow Kit I use to purchase at a cost of £22.50. Well not anymore :-)

 

 

This compact has quality written all over it, there is a nice sized mirror in the compact along with tweezers and a little brush to apply. You have three shades to choose from and you can mix them together if you wish to create your desired shade. I like to mix the top two colours. This compact also has a wax so you are able to seal in your brows, so no hairs will stray away during the day.

This compact is better quality than some of the more expensive ones, this is why I am a HUGE fan of Make Up Academy, they are always one step ahead of all other high street make up brands and the quality is always 100% at a fantastic price.

I have just one slight criticism about this palette, a very minor one, it states you can highlight with the lightest shade but I have to say personally this is a little to dark to highlight If you have fair skin as it looks to dark under the brow, a highlighter should be a pearly white shade. But if you have darker skin then go for it.

Well done MUA for yet another amazing product, you do spoil us :-)

Checkout MUA’S website for there full range of products and to grab yourselves one of these little beauty’s. www.muastore.co.uk

Sarah x

Lush Cosmetics Bubblegum Lip Scrub

Lush Cosmetics Lip Scrub – Bubblegum Flavour

Hi Guy’s,

I did a blog a few weeks ago on creating the perfect lip canvas to get ready for application of your lipstick (you can view this in my wall pictures section on my page), in the blog post I mentioned a Hollywood Lip Scrub, this I do not think you can purchase anymore so I did some research and found this little beauty from Lush.

I popped along to Lush and purchased this Lip Scrub, RRP £5.25

The scrub is made from caster sugar (yummy); it is a very gentle scrub, which leaves your lips soft and supple. The two make up fanatics from Lush Cosmetics came up with this fantastic idea, as a lot of people do not pay enough attention to there lips (I have been guilty of this myself in the past), so they came up with a plan. A product that has exactly the right size of sugar grains in so it provides a gentle exfoliant for the lips.
Plus with the added benefit of this product tasting like Bubblegum, - Gorgeous.

So you simply take a small amount from the pot and rub it all over your lips in circular movements, once you have finished exfoliating you simply lick around you mouth and eat up the remainder of the yummy product – Delicious

This is also amazing for prepping models lips for photo shoots


Pop down to Lush and have a peek, it really does taste good and leaves your lips super soft and ready for your  lipstick application.
x

Sigma Professional Brushes - Eye Set

Sigma Brushes – Eye Kit


I was lucky enough to have these bought for my birthday, very lucky. I knew Sigma Brushes were good from reading reviews from other MUA’S. But to have now used them myself good is an understatement. They are fantastic, the best brushes I have used to date. I also received a small trio of eye shadows included with the brush set. (See picture)

I am very happy to be able to share this blog with you all, I have had my eye on the Sigma Brushes for quite some time.

I could not believe the difference in the application, as they are shaped so very well this makes the application perfect. They are so soft to, so you can get into all the tight areas around the eye without it feeling uncomfortable. I will certainly be purchasing more Sigma brushes in the future; I am already making a mental note of the ones I like. :)

My AOFM brushes are good but now I have used the Sigma ones I can see the difference immediately, if you take a look at the bottom left picture you will see two brushes which are used for creating winged effects and defined eyeliner, the really pointy brush is the Sigma one and the other is my AOFM brush. Yesterday I created a winged effect and the sharpness the Sigma brush gave me was incredible and it seemed much easier to create, the AOFM brush is still good and does the job but you can see the bristles are not formed into a point like the Sigma brush. So this takes longer to create the effect you would like.

It is great as a Make Up Artist to have new products and to get very excited about how good they are and to see the difference in the products instantly. Which is why I like to use a broad range of products in my kit.

Below is a list of the brushes you get in the Eye Kit:

Eyeliner – E05
Pencil – E30
Tapered Blending – E40
Large Shader – E60
Eye Shading – E55
Medium Angled Shading – E70
Small Angle – E65

Head over to www.sigmabeauty.com to view their fantastic range of brushes

Have Fun x

Make Up GIVEAWAY - Facebook

Hi All, 

My facebook page is growing at a nice steady pace thank you all for your support, it means a lot. I have decided when i reach 500 likes i will do a fantastic make up giveaway. So please keep sharing with friends and family, and you could be the lucky winner. :))


www.facebook.com/SEBmakeupartist 

We Are FAUX False Lashes A little touch of luxury

We Are FAUX Lashes

I wanted to write a little blog on how amazing these lashes are and share this with you all.

After using my first pair from We Are FAUX yesterday on my Metal and Metallic Shoot I was so impressed with them I just had to shout about it J. Each set of lashes is handcrafted giving them that extra special edge and difference to other lashes you will have come across. As soon as you open the box and have a feel of the lashes you know they are of an amazing quality.

The lashes I picked were called “Good Girl” they had individual studs stuck to them. When I saw them I knew they would work perfectly with the theme of the photo shoot I was doing. And wow they looked absolutely stunning. I was so pleased with them.

In most lash boxes you receive a small instruction booklet, you did get one of these with We Are FAUX, but if you are not very confident in applying false lashes then there instructions will work much better for you, simple and to the point. They actually give better advice on application than other lash brands.

Check out We Are FAUX amazing handcrafted collections at www.wearefaux.com

You can also follow them on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/wearefauxlash

Have fun, you will not be disappointed. I know were I will be shopping from now on for my false lashes.  

X

Alex Box and Rankin Book

I have been wanting this book in my little make up world for sometime now, ever since I saw it at Illamasqua’s counter in Selfridges about a year ago.

I am very happy to now have this book (courtesy of my partner for my birthday), I would say for any Make Up Artists or creative in the industry this is a must. At the moment it is a tad pricey on the Internet but it does go up and down in price, three months ago it was roughly £32 and now on Amazon it is priced at £500, which is a huge jump. But if you would like this book keep checking Amazon and other related sites as it will come down again.

The books quality is just amazing, and the quality of the content is even better, the book is quite large. It showcases all of Alex’s creative masterpieces, which are just fabulous reference points. She has some fantastic colourful images, which are very pleasing to the eye. Rankin also show cases some of his skills in the book, obviously his photography first but he also shows off his creative input for the editing as some of the images are digitally moved around on the models face. Which is quite interesting.

I have put together a few on my favourite images from the book; these are images I have not seen on google so I thought you might like to have a peep to

xx

Girls Aloud False Lashes - My tips on application and pictures

 Girls Aloud False Lashes – Nadine

Hi All, I opted for some different lashes this weekend, I like to try new ones to test them out, so I thought I would share them with you all.

I have previously used Cheryl’s and Sarah’s from the Girls Aloud range which looked beautiful. This time I thought I would try Nadine’s I can’t have favourites now can I They were so very easy to apply, they were really bendy (not stiff at all) I find the bendier ones easier to apply as you have more flexibility. 

How to apply

• Firstly measure them to your eye size, I tend to find that for myself on most strip lashes I only really need to cut off roughly half an inch just enough so they are not glued right into the corner of the eye as this can be very uncomfortable and will irritate you.
• Apply some of the glue, to the back of your hand and wait for this to go tacky (roughly 30 seconds) I use Duo Eyelash Glue.
• Whilst waiting for the glue to work, curl your lashes and apply one layer of mascara.
• Run the lashes down the glue, just a thin line you don’t want too much on the lashes as it can get messy.
• I find it easier to stick the outer part of the lash down first then grab a cotton bud. Whilst still holding down the outer eyelash stick the inner corner down with the cotton bud this way you have control over both ends.
• Once it is stuck into the correct place, which is as close to the lash line as you can get. Use the cotton bud to just dab down the lashes all the way across just to make double sure they are stuck into position.
• Then apply another coat of mascara just to make sure they blended in with your own lashes

Everyone has their own ways of applying that is best for them, the above application is how I do it and this is the way I find works best for me. I have tried numerous other ways but this has come out on top.

Give it a try; I hope you find this application easy.

You can buy Girls Aloud lashes from Boots or Superdrug priced at £5.35, the Duo eye lash glue I purchase from ebay and this is between £4.00 - £5.00 (but lasts forever) I purchase the clear glue, so it comes out white but dries clear – Genius

Have fun xx

Alex Box - Italian Vogue Shoot

WOW I am amazed by this work again by the SUPER SUPER talented Alex Box.

These images are breath taking, so inspiring. I can’t get enough of her work, it amazes me everytime i look at Alex’s new and old work.

My favourite is the top left

Hats off to her everytime x

Red or Black TV Show - Working alongside Pixie Lott

Red or Black is back on ITV soon, this brings back great memories of me working backstage last year at the london studio alongside pixie lott and one of my Make Up inspirations, Caroline Barnes MUA to the stars. I got the chance to meet Pixie and to see all the glitz and glam of the team working backstage. Best of all i was part of the team. Amazing day.:-)

x

Prepping the lips for a lucious clean base

Hi Ladies,

Today I thought I would do a little blog post on creating a nice clean base for your lips ready for your lipstick application.

I know some of us do not always have the most perfect soft lips on a day to day basis, mine do tend to go dry and sometimes which if not treated can make your lipstick look cracked, dry and flaky.

Below are a few tips for you to follow which will result in super soft lips.

Preparing your lips prior to applying lipstick (to remove any dry or flaky skin)

· Gently exfoliate the lip’s, a good treatment for this is Hollywood Lip’s Sweet Sugar Scrub.

· Finish off with a cool lip balm to heal the lips and protect them, I use Carmex Original Formula, this heals, protects and soothes and leaves your lips feeling really cool and fresh.

Preparing your lips ready for lipstick application:

· When applying your foundation do not skip your lip’s, make sure you brush the foundation over your lips, this creates a perfect canvas ready for your lipstick.

· Lipstick will stay on longer if the whole lip is filled in with lip liner. This will create an extra layer of colour.

· Apply your chosen shade, apply one layer then blot with a tissue, apply a second layer again blot with tissue. Grab a dusting brush and dust a small amount of transculent powder over your lips this will set the lipstick.

· To make your lips pop add a touch of gloss to the centre of the lips.

TIP - Matte Lipsticks tend to last longer but can dry out the lips, to avoid this and still use a matte lipstick mix the lipstick with some lip balm then apply to the lips.

After following these simple steps your lips should look super luscious, J

x

Make Up Setting Spray

Graftobian Make Up Setting Spray

Wow what a genius product this is, another great product for keeping your make up in place all day and smudge free.

I know there are a few of these setting sprays out in the shops, one in particular I hav
e seen is the Urban Decay setting spray, this retails at £19.50 whereas this little beauty comes in a bargain price of £5.44. The bottle is smaller (36ml) than the Urban Decay spray but will still last you a very long time as you only require a couple of sprays.

You can apply this spray before your make up or after. I like to apply the spray after.

If you apply it before your make up application make sure you do your usual moisturising routine.

Hold the bottle 8-10 inches away from you face and spray a couple of sprays over your full face, it will feel a little tight at first but that feeling goes away as soon as the spray sets in.

This is great for preventing foundation rubbing off on your clothing, and in my case on my boyfriends t-shirts which he is not best pleased about ;-)

This setting spray also helps prevent sweating.

This Graftobian product can be purchased from Applied Cosmetics at www.appliedcosmetics.com

If you are working professional in the industry you can apply for a trade discount with Applied Cosmetics which means you will get it even cheaper than £5.44.

Applied Cosmetics also stock a full range of HD Products including HD Foundation Palettes, HD Cream Blushers, HD Concealer Palettes, HD Lipsticks, HD Powders and many more. Head over to the website for more details on how to apply for the trade discount.

x

Foundation Textures and Techniques

Foundation Textures and Tips

Hi Ladies,

I thought for my next blog I would hand out some tips of foundation techniques, from past experience working on Make Up Counters and visiting clients on a freelance basis the one thing that I got asked a lot was how to select the right foundation and how to apply. So I thought I would do a blog on giving out a few handy tips to you all.

It is important not to get stuck using the same makeup all year round as with the seasons changing so does your skin and it can be either dry or oily. A lot of ladies when selecting the colour of foundation, match it to the top of the hands or wrist, this is not correct. Please make sure the make up artist on the counters or yourself match the colour to the neck area. In summer the face can be a different colour to the neck as the sun has caught the face and not the neck. So it is best to match to the neck area and after you have applied your entire make up add bronzer to even out the skin.

The main point of a foundation is to even out the skin tone and colour of your skin. It can be a tricky business picking the right shade for your skin and also knowing what type of foundation is best suited to you, below is a list of all the different foundations you can purchase and next to each one I have written a short explanation of what they do.

Full Coverage – This one I am a huge fan off I love a full coverage but not so it is thick and you can see it on the skin, which is why I opt for Lancôme Teint Miracle (see my previous blog in more detail for this), A full coverage foundation will effectively cover blemishes, redness, scars and discoloration. A good full coverage foundation is Lancôme Teint Miracle RRP £29.00. With this foundation you can opt for a medium coverage or full, as it is build able. I know it is a little pricey but it lasts me for 5-6 months and is a fantastic product. And that is with me using it as a full coverage. Bare minerals are also fantastic for a full coverage look.

Oil Free – Fantastic for you ladies who are prone to oily skin. Oil free foundations will help keep shine away, this is done by the foundation creating a matte and textured finish to the skin. An oil free foundation will not contain any mineral oils or lanolin, these are the ingredients that cause clogged pores and can also cause sensitivity. A good oil free foundation is No7 Beautifully Matte Foundation RRP £13.50 this foundation balances oil production and minimises blemishes.

Sheer Coverage – A sheer coverage foundation will not provide you with a lot of cover, your skin will look more natural. This type of foundation will still even out your skin but will allow freckles and beauty marks to still show. The result of this foundation will be the effect of a make up free face. A good sheer coverage foundation is MAC Face and Body Foundation RRP 23.00

Moisturising – Great for dry to normal skin, as this provides extra hydration and also works well on mature skin. Again another good one for this is Lancôme Teint Miracle.

Illuminating – This type of foundation will give the skin a nice healthy glow and luminous finish. A good illuminating foundation is Bobbi Brown’ Award Winning Luminous Moisturizing Foundation RRP £30.00 this is fantastic for boosting the skin and firming the skin, this foundation also helps reverse the visible signs of aging and leaves the skin with a healthy glow – perfect.

Cream to Powder – These foundations normally comes in a compact, and once applied dry to a powder finish. These give a medium finish so great for providing more coverage, but not as much as a full coverage foundation. A good product for this is Benefit Play Sticks, RRP £23 - £26.00. A silky consistency, which provides a natural looking coverage.

Mousse – A mousse foundation will provide a matte or natural glow to the skin, the texture is very light and will feel really light on the skin. Maybelline do a good range of mousse foundations and No7 also do a fantastic mousse (Intelligent Balance Mousse Foundation), which is also great for oily skin this retails at £12.50

Tinted Moisturiser – A tinted moisturiser is great for a little coverage just enough to give the skin a little pick me up and a nice glow.  Tinted moisturisers are great to take on holiday instead of using a foundation. These also sink very easily into the skin. Benefit do a great tinted moisturiser called you rebel RRP £23.50 this also adds moisture to the skin.

BB Cream –Another product which I am a huge fan of, BB Creams provide more coverage than a tinted moisturiser but not as much as a foundation. They are lightweight and feel like silk on the skin. They cover blemishes, even out the skin and hide and uneven skin i.e. redness. A great one I have used on myself is Boots No7 BB Cream this is the only one on the market that caters to all three skin types. RRP 12.95.

Powder Based – This provides a non-reflective finish to the skin. A powder base can also be used on top of a liquid foundation to set it.  A good powder based foundation is Max Factor Crème Puff RRP 5.99.

So hopefully make up lovers with all the different foundations I have listed, this will make it a little easier for you to pick a foundation which is suited to you, your skin and what coverage you would like.

Below are a few of my tips on the application of foundation:

Before applying any foundation please make sure you cleanse, tone and moisturise. Please wait for your moisturiser to sink in until you apply your primer.

Apply primer, and again please wait a few minutes for this to work into the skin

Make sure you are applying your foundation in natural light

Apply small dots around your face, i.e. on the forehead, chin, cheeks and nose.

Apply your foundation in downward strokes to minimise pores, sweep over the ears and under the jaw line, none of us want that awful line do we J

Once the foundation is properly blended, if you require any more coverage add concealer instead of more foundation.

It is important to add a powder on top to set the foundation this also minimises shine.

A few ways to limit shine is to apply foundation with a brush or sponge instead of fingers and also use an oil free primer.

I really hope this helps with your foundation application and in selecting the correct foundation.

Any questions please feel free to message me

Sarah x

Highlighting the Face & Body

Highlighting the Face and Body Techniques

Hi Make Up Lovers,

I have written below some great tips on highlighting the face and body, this helps contour and sculpt the face and really enhances your features. Highlighting products are used to reflect light, which in return adds definition and dimension to the face.

You have a whole range of highlighting textures to choose from these range from shimmer powders, liquids, gels and cream sticks. It can be quite confusing and daunting when you visit a make up counter as they have so many different names such as shimmers, iridescent, pearlized and illuminizers but don’t fret these all do the same thing. So you can now browse with confidence that you know they do the same job.

Ok so now I have explained a little about the textures and what highlighting adds to the face please find below some tips on were and how to apply these to your face and body.

This is a little trick I learnt at the Make Up School and I love this, by applying shimmer down the centre of the nose in a straight line creates the illusion of a smaller straighter nose – Genius don’t you think.J, for this you can use a eye shadow highlighter, or another product I have used before is the highlighter out of the Benefit 10 bronzer RRP 23.50 . But really any product that is a light shimmer will work for this.

This next one is a top favourite for me I do this every day and it looks gorgeous, so why not give it a go, Liquids or shimmer powders placed above the cheekbone really enhance your cheekbones and reflect light. So this needs to be placed right at the top of the cheekbone, apply this in a c shape so from the top of your cheekbone going just underneath the eye. A great product for this is MAC Cream Colour Base in Shell  RRP £14.50, I use this a lot on brides to be and you can apply this on top of powders and liquids. First apply your blusher or bronzer and the highlighter is always the last step. Again the Benefit 10 bronzer is amazing for this as the pallet is split into two half’s one a highlighter and the other a bronzer so great for highlighting and sculpting.  With this product you can kill two birds with one stone.

Highlighters can also be applied to the centre of the lips this creates the illusion of plumped fuller lips, I sometimes use an eye shadow highlighter for this it works perfectly. The one I use the most is the highlighter shade 1 out of the MUA Undressed palette, this palette is £4 so a great buy for all your highlighting shades plus darker tones.

Highlighters can also be applied to the body to create the illusion of longer more slender limbs; you can apply the highlighter down the centre of the shins, arms and collarbone. A great product for this is MAC Strobe cream RRP £12.50, this product is also great for highlighting the face, a great buy for my kit as it works in so many different ways.

I hope you give some of these tips a go they really do look amazing you will see the difference in your skin and dimension to your face immediately. I know some of the products are a little pricey but they are so worth the investment they last for so long and work on the skin like a dream.

Keep your eyes peeled for my next blog on Foundation Techniques this will also include more highlighting products, is there no end to what these products can do ;-), amazing.

x

Ardell Duralash Individual Lashes

Ardell Duralash Naturals – Individual Lashes

Hi Ladies,

Over the weekend I used some of my Ardell Individual False Lashes, I use these a lot on Brides to be as they provide a natural full lash look. As bridal make up is more natural I tend to stick to individual lashes rather than strip lashes as these can look a bit much on a bride.

You can purchase Ardell Individual Lashes on Ebay, the prices are fantastic I get x1 pack for £3.29 or you can buy 3 packs for £10. For us Make Up Artists it is sometimes best to buy in bulk so we have a supply in our kits.

You can buy a pack with just short, medium or long lashes in or a pack with a mixture in. I tend to buy a mixture of the lashes, I use more of the medium length but I do like to use the longer lashes on the outer eye are area.

These can be fiddly little things to apply; a steady hand is always a good thing to have when applying these. J

Below are my top tips on applying individual lashes:

• Always curl your eyelashes first
• Apply one coat of mascara first, some people don’t do this but I find it helps with the blending of the individual lashes.
• Try and gage the length of your own lashes and pick the most suitable length from the pack. If you have short lashes and apply the longer ones it will not look right. As you can see from my picture I have medium length lashes so I used medium individual lashes and put two longer ones on the outer eye area to provide the fluttering effect. Yet still natural. I also used x2 shorter length individual lashes coming in towards the inner eye area. If you have short lashes then the medium length individual lashes will be just fine for the outer eye area.  Just go one length longer for the outer eye area.
• Apply the lashes as close to your natural lashes as you can, I apply them sitting in between the lashes so instead of them sticking to the lash line they stick right into the root area. You can use as many lashes as you like, I like to use quite a few so they look full.
• Once you have applied all the necessary lashes apply x2 coats of mascara, again this will really blend the lashes into one another. And really make your eyes pop.
• I used L’Oreal Mega Volume Mascara in Black, and to apply the lashes I use Duralash Glue from Ebay, this comes out white but dries clear – A godsend.
• And lastly, I apply a line of gel liner across my lash line just to cover were the lashes have been stuck (if they are visible) and mostly to provide some definition. I use Fashionista Gel Liner or MAC Fluid Line for this.

Hope this helps for when you next apply your lashes x

Herb Ritts Inpsired Photo Shoot

This was my latest photo shoot, the Make Up was kept to a minimum for this one which I struggled with a bit as my creative flare always comes out when I get my make up out for a photo shoot, but I love these images they are very elegant, it is also best to have a good range of images in you portfolio to show prospective employers that your skill set is broad.

I used a mix of MAC Nude Shadows and a light gloss on the lips abd MAC Face & Body Foundation mixed in with MAC Strobe Cream.

I have just two pictures from this shoot please do see below:

6 Days to go Ladies - Olympic Themed Make Up Competition

head over to my facebook page at www.facebook.com/sebmakeupartist

Winner receives a fantastic Goody Box full of lovely Make Up Products

All entry details and picture of the prize are pinned to the top of my page

You will not be disappointed, Good Luck x

Colour Bomb Photo Shoot

Color Bomb Editorial Photo Shoot

I wanted to share these lovely images with you all.  I love the images from this photo shoot, this was shot by Daniel Sannwald for V Spain Magazine, this shoot portrays Fluorescent and pastels colours. A big favourite of mine. Pastel colours can look so effective and are great for adding texture.

 

Blusher Shades for each skin tone

I always feel so much more awake with a pop of colour on my cheeks, it always brighhtens up my face. So remember ladies to add that pop of colour to your daily routine. For fair skin - opt for light pinks For olive skin tones - go for soft corals and peaches For medium olive skin tones - choose deep golden pinks and warm orange's For darker skin tones - go for deep plums and hot fuchsia With all this choice of colours for your cheeks you are sure to look vibrant and glowing. :-) X

MAC Mineralize Volcanic Ash Exfoliator - A little bit of luxury

MAC Mineralize Volcanic Ash Exfoliator – A little bit of Luxury

WOW – Another great product I have managed to get my hands on recently. I popped into MAC last week and was looking at all the lovely Make Up, obviously trying not to spend much money ;-). The nice MAC Artist came over to speak to me, we got chatting about the new Heavenly Creature Collection (which I have previously blogged on), and she offered me a free sample of the MAC Mineralize Volcanic Ash Exfoliator. Which of course I said yes to instantly.

I used this for the first time a few days ago and I was very impressed. It has small sugar crystals mixed in with the natural Volcanic Ash (please see picture) which on the skin feels really soft, (I know from using other products some grains can feel really ruff on the skin). I also found that the more I cleansed it into my skin the crystals disappeared to leave my skin feeling super soft. 

I left this on my skin for a couple of minutes to let it work in, then rinsed it off with warm water. This product is best used once or twice a week to refine and unclog the skin. The Volcanic Ash also adds instant moisture to the skin; you can use this product on the face or body.

This product is only in stores for a limited period, so if you fancy a little bit of luxury I would highly recommend this product. P.S It also smells amazing. :-)

You can purchase at a MAC Counter or online at various department stores.

RRP £21.00

x

Make Up Academy - Amazing Undressed Palette

New Undressed Palette By The Amazing Make Up Academy

I have had this palette for a few weeks now and I have used it quite a lot, this palette follows the huge success of MUA previous palette Heaven and Earth.

This palette is all about opting for that fresh faced look, to go hand in hand with this seasons must have Make Up look which is the fresh/bare faced look. But with this palette you can turn this look into a smouldering nighttime look instantly. Which I am a big fan of, you can not beat a gorgeous smouldering smoky eye.

The palette has 12 gorgeous shades to suit any skin tone, and any occasion.

My Favourite shades are the highlighters, they are stunning. I use Shade 1 for under my brow arch, the inner corner of my eye and also bringing the highlighter down near to the tear duct area, applying to these areas really brightens up the eye area. I love a highlighter under my brow; I do not think I can go a day without applying to this area ;-). Hence me now hardly having any shade 1 left. ;-)

Shades 1, 2 and 3 are great for highlighting.

Shades 6, 7, 8 and 10 will give you a really sexy smoky eye. Shades 11 and 12 are much darker so you can turn your daytime look into a nighttime look with minimal effort. You can blend these colours over the top of the look you have already done.

I do have the Heaven and Earth palette, I have used that today but I have to say I do prefer this palette the shades are much warmer and again the highlighter shades have won me over. You can’t beat a good highlighter to brighten up certain areas of your face; it really does make a difference.

This palette is very very silimar to the Urban Decay Naked Palette, the shades are very similar, but MUA is at a fraction of the cost at only £4 and the pigment in this palette is amazing. I have used this palette on quite a few brides now, it worked a treat :-)

MUA also have the new Going for Gold Olympic Inspired Palette out at the moment for you to get your hands on, you can WIN this palette on my Make Up Page by entering my Olympic Themed Make Up Competiton.

Head over to www.muastore.co.uk to check out MUA'S maaizng product range. You will not be disappointed.

Have fun x