A Lengthy Addition

Have you always loved the idea of wearing false eyelashes but hated the thought of them looking uneven or coming un glued during your night out? Or maybe, you think the false lash look is just too, well, false for you. Have a go with these, they are way easier to apply than single strip versions and give you an amazing thick, full lash line that is also really natural looking. Here is what you will need...

Duo is by far the best false lash glue and is the best place to start for lashes that will stay all day and night long.  They make two versions and this is my favourite, it goes on grey but dries out black so even if a little glue strays as long as you are wearing a top line (see here for a little tutorial) no one will ever notice.  Tweezers (these are my favourite) are a must for applying individual lashes as they stop your finger tips getting sticky and they allow you to place lashes precisely in-between your own.  Finally pick your favourite style of individual lashes, you will be able to find them really cheaply on the high street however if you prefer something a little more luxurious, try these from Shu Uemura who have an incredible array of Japanese lashes for every possible occasion.

Applying the lashes couldn't be simpler.  Make sure your eye make-up is complete and you have already applied a nice clean coat of mascara.  Squeeze a little drop of glue onto the back of your hand. 

Pick the lash from the packaging with your tweezers and dip only the very end into the glue you just squeezed out.

Look down into a mirror and carefully place the lash as close to your own lash line as possible starting in the outer corner and try to fill in the gaps of your natural lashes.  For a dramatic look work all the way along your lash line, you can even trim the lashes so the ones closest to your inner eye are shorter gradually getting longer as you move outwards. Or for a more natural look you can just put five or so lashes on the outer corner of your eye.

Btsiete only has four individual lashes on each eye which gives a beautiful silhouette and works really well if you want a natural, no make-up look with an added hint of drama. Pretty huh? Experiment with lashes and see how you get on, they really are much less hassle than you would think.

(Thank you once again beautiful Btsiete and the super talented Kye Corfield for his mad Photography skills)

Coming up next, one of the most fantastic skincare products I have ever found, did I mention I LOVE beauty shopping in the United States!  

Puppy Love

People often ask me what made me want to become a make-up artist and I figured I would snap a few shots whilst on the road in answer to that question.

 I can definitely say, without doubt, aged eight that my passion for make-up was ignited in the endless isles of Walgreens pharmacy! USA.

Make-up as far as the eye can see, I couldn't believe a place like this existed and I was sold.  It has been an addiction ever since.

A long road ahead

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I am about to head off into the unknown on an experience of a lifetime.  From the East coast to the West with my favourite person by my side.  There are days scheduled full of meetings for an exciting project in the works and there are days full of nothing but adventure.  

I will still be posting whilst on my travels so look out for a false eyelash tutorial, product recommendations and most definitely some images from the road.

Bright and Breezy

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Can you believe New York fashion week has come around so quickly?

I adore Paris fashion week for its theatre and drama, I love London fashion week as it is inherently forward thinking, edgy and of course home, and I always have a soft spot for New York fashion week as you can rely on playful, wearable collections from some of the worlds greatest artists showcased in my favourite city in the world.

This season to much anticipation J. Crew debuted on the runways of NYC, with Jenna Lyons as the driving force behind a beautiful show filled with pieces I know my wardrobe is crying out for.  Bright colours and flattering stripes.  And at last, J. Crew are about to open an online retail outlet in the UK. Yes!

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Continuing the striped theme was the king of the New York fashion scene Marc Jacobs.  Not only was every garment that walked perfection but the hair and make-up was divine.  Hair swept up sleekly and make-up to match.  I just love a statement outfit paired with natural make-up I think it exudes confidence.

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If you fancy going for the simple beauty look Marc Jacobs decided upon for his show then look no further than Stila convertible colour in Gerbera.  It's creamy consistency leaves the cheeks looking fresh and dewy and its depth of pigment means it's beautiful as a lip colour also.  A quick dab of this with a light gloss over the top really brings the colour together for a cohesive look.

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And finally if you are lucky enough to live in the USA near a Target store then I do hope you have rushed there to buy up as much of the Missoni for Target collection as your budget will allow, from throw pillows to awesome chopper bikes there is something for everyone.  I hope there will be a little something left for me by the time I make it to a store!

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Work It Curl

One of the easiest ways to mix up your look is to have quick hair re-style.  Even without cutting or colouring your locks this is an easy trick to use if you fancy a change.  Curling your hair using straightening irons is so simple and effective that once you have got the technique right you will use this styling method all the time.  To begin with you need to shampoo and dry your hair.  Next, make sure you use a heat protectant or blow dry lotion as heated styling tools can do some serious damage to your mane that simply can't be rectified.  Especially if you have coloured hair as this is even more susceptible environmental damage. I like this particular product.

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It adds really good body for a blow dry, keeps curls stable and offers a good barrier between your hair and the 180º heat you are about to introduce to it!  There are so many of these products on the market now that you will be able to find one in your local chemist or drugstore. Next up you need a pair of these.

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I love using GHD's they have adapted the shape of the irons recently in order to aid curling by rounding off the edges of the casing.  The ceramic plates mean your hair glides through whilst straightening and curling with no pull or breakage, they heat up quickly to such a temperature that the look you are trying to achieve is done so with only one or two sweeps of the irons, this really minimises heat damage.  They are also available in different sizes suitable for different lengths and thicknesses of hair and different curl size.  Of course there are many other brands available.

Leslie has such fantastic long hair in great condition so we decided to quickly curl the ends just to add a bit of movement.  Different sized irons obviously create different sized curls, we used the small GHD's so the curls were quite tight and defined but larger irons will create a softer, wavier, beachier, look.  Section your hair really randomly the only thing you need to make sure is that the sections you gather are all a similar size but you really don't have to be precious about doing this it is meant to be really quick!  Hold the straighteners at the point where you would like the curl to begin, at the root, half way down or perhaps you just want to curl the ends under to neaten off a pretty sharp bob.

Once you have decided where you want to start, close the irons and start to pull them gently down along the length of your hair twisting as you go....

Keep twisting, depending on the length of your hair perhaps you need to swap hands half way to reach the end, keep twisting....

As you are twisting allow the hair to wrap itself over the outside of the irons this is what really defines the curl, or the Farrah Fawcett style flicked out layers, or curling under your fringe (bangs) the ways to use this technique are endless, have a play around and see what it can do for your cut....

Keep twisting right until the end, Ta Da! it's so easy, keep sectioning your hair and continue this way and when you have curled to your hearts content, you should have achieved your own variation of this....

Pretty and simple, we just quickly curled the ends in order to add a little bit of movement and texture but for a far more dramatic change we could have used the large irons and started from the root.

Have a go with your straighteners and see if you can discover an update for your style, sometimes they can make a world of difference if you are trying to grow out a cut.

(Once again, thank you so much to the beautiful Leslie and my super talented friend Kye Corfield)

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Have a fantastic (curly?) weekend.

Muppets & Manicures

I'm not normally a fan of celebrity collaborations with fashion houses or beauty companies but this one rocks my world!  O.P.I have combined two of my very favourite things.  Perfectly painted nails and The Muppets. In celebration of the new Muppets movie about to be released these varnishes have been created in the film stars honour. Genius

 Fresh Frog of Bel-Air and Gone Gonzo

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Animal-istic and Wocka Wocka

Which is your favourite?

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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