Luxury Lace...

Or pure madness?  

I'm all for luxury skincare, even though I tend to stick to simple organic products I'm not going to call anyone out on throwing down some serious bones in the beauty department if thats what floats your boat!

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But what do you make of this? it is Givenchy's Le Soin Noir face mask and here is what they have to say about it.

The most haute couture of masks, Le Soin Noir is a complete beauty renewal for the skin. Infused with the rejuvenating powder of vital black algae sap, this luxurious lace mask combines skin-firming and anti-ageing for a rejuvenated look.

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They cost £220.00 ($353.00) for four which lets face it is at the REALLY high end of the product spectrum, what do you think, are you enough of a beauty junkie to give this a go or is this just a gimmick for the super elite?

Bad Girls

My go to look to add drama to any occasions is 50's Pin Up and it has been for years.  There is something unbearably gorgeous about a woman dressed up to the nines in the classiest way possible.  Using just a couple of elements from this era you can find a look that suits you.  Its not necessary to go for the hair, the make up and the ball gown all at once.  

Just the eyeliner and perfect red lip with relaxed natural beachy hair is very casual yet looks beautifully groomed.

These Ladies have obviously had their take on the Pin Up looked amped by a make-up artist for the shoot but they do serve as some awesome inspiration don't you think?

If you don't fancy embracing the whole shebang, just try the classic red polish manicure I guarantee you will feel sexier the second your fingertips are dry.

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I am a make-up junkie.  I have products in my kit and in my personal collection ranging from two pound q-tips all the way up to La Prairie and Creme de La Mer, so I definitely sing the praises (or not) of items from a very broad price range.  

That said, sometimes its lovely to splash out on a couple of items that just make you feel like you are pampering yourself.  So in the spirit of the Pin Up girl go and have a test of these at your local beauty department and give yourself a little treat.

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Some Snapshots

Here are some very mediocre Instagram shots I quickly snapped last week on my make-up truck just after breakfast. A little sneak peek into my daily life at the moment.

{A Continuity File} - {A Variety of Pins}

{Some SFX Sponges} - {A Bunch of Hair Products}

{Some of the Stuff at my Station} - {An SFX Palette}

{The Lid of an SFX Palette} - {One of my Flight Cases}

{A Selection of Skincare Products} - {Some Heated Rollers}

{Cotton Buds for Various Things} - {My Beloved Bobbi Brown Palette}

{I Would be Lost Without These} - {Glorious Loose Powder by Make Up Forever}

Its so quite around here....

Oh, how I'm missing this little corner of the internet right now.  You see the thing is when you are a Make- Up Artist and you are working on a TV show or film your hours are long, like really long.  Normally you arrive at the studio along with the costume department way before most other departments in order to get everything ready for the arrival of the actors.  They come into make-up from 7:00AM before doing anything else.  I like to get onto my make-up truck at around 6:30AM, just before my team arrive so I can get things organised for the day...

This clearly is not my make-up truck (it's The Rockette's getting ready for a show in 1944...Awesome!). However it is equally as chaotic.  More to come as I take you guys through a typical day on set in a Make-Up department.

Tool Time

I carry an awful lot of stuff around with me wherever I go.  Especially on days when I have a shoot.  I like to cover every eventuality and always have this cosmetics purse from Mulberry with me with some extra bits and pieces inside that don't normally live in my make-up bag.

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There are some essentials that I don't need to share such as floss, toothbrush, tissues, a nail file etc, but these are a few items that I do keep with me just in case (of what i'm not sure but it all comes in very handy pretty often!).

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A Mason Pearson hairbrush, They may be expensive but they really are the very best in the world, If you make the investment and look after them they will serve you a lifetime, I have never used better.  When accompanied by the ever faithful Elnett you have the hair dream team!  I always keep a mini can with me.

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Now for some hard wear, If you throw a few bucks at this kind of product you will have tools that should last you for years, tweezers can always be re-sharpened and eyelash curlers have their pads replaced and as for a metal lash comb, well those perfectly spiky prongs aren't going anywhere.  The above are the only brands I will use of these items and I have sampled a whole lot.

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I always carry a small mirror with me incase I have a contact lens emergency during the day, and this one from Marc by Marc Jacobs made me laugh.  It would make a really sweet gift for someone too, don't you think?

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Blotting sheets are always a must to have on standby as sometimes piling on the powder during the day can leave your skin looking a little depressed by the evening. These eliminate the need for clogged pores and just give you a little clean up when necessary.

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Lucas Papaw ointment is a product that actors and models I worked with from Australia always raved about but that you couldn't find in the UK for years.  About a year and a half ago the lovely ladies over at Cult Beauty gave me a tube and I haven't looked back since (sorry, Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream). It is a multi use product that works miracles on lips, dry skin, burns and even taming the odd flyaway hair. It is finally available in the UK and you can easily find it online and it's such great value.

Essie - good to go, is my ultimate top coat it makes any home manicure look totally professional and it dries in record speed.  I keep a bottle with me as I rave about it to most ladies in my make-up chair.  

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Finally a tiny little essential that always gets overlooked.  A good quality pencil sharpener.   Make sure it's one that has different sized holes for all different types of product because who wants to drag a blunt eyeliner and bits of sharp wood across their eyeball? Not me!  

What products do you find yourself hauling about on a daily basis?  Any strange things that always save the day?

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Lip Service

My addiction to lip products was always going to be fed in Japan, Having discovered some brilliant balms purely by trial and error (due to minimal English on the packaging) in Hong Kong the year before I knew I was in for a treat in Tokyo.

This product instantly caught my eye because of its adorable name 'MuruMuruButterMu' and the balm itself doesn't disappoint. A yummy mixture of cocoa butter, vanilla and moisturizing properties thanks to what I'm guessing is a beeswax base. Delicious. Although, I assume sadly this product is pretty hard to come by outside of Japan (please correct me if you know otherwise).

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So here is my absolute favorite Lip treatment after trying out what I believe to be hundreds. Created by French Make up artist and skin care Queen Terry de Gunzburg. It is definitely on the pricey side but is worth every penny. Giving a Luxurious creamy pink sheen to the lips, totally eliminating the need for a gloss, and with a light rose scent it has most certainly kept my lips soft and smooth through the really cold winter months. It is absolutely one of those make up bag must haves. Go on treat yourself you won't regret it I promise.