MY KIT FAVOURITES

Camila Fernandez showcases MY favourite kit products on her blog

A few weeks ago I asked my lovely friend Camila Fernandez to write a guest post on my blog about some of her favourite products in her makeup kit (here).

Well I have done the same for her blog - here is some of my absolute favourite makeup products in my professional makeup kit.
CHECK OUT SOME OF MY FAVOURITE MAKEUP PRODUCTS HERE!! 

What are your makeup gems?

LOUIS VUITTON MENSWEAR SHOOT FOR OBSERVER MAGAZINE

Here's another editorial that I have worked on recently for the Observer's Sunday Magazine - to work alongside an article they were writing about Louis Vuitton Menswear. Shot by Elliott Morgan, Styled by Helen Seamons Hair by Emily Kent and Makeup/Grooming by me!

Mens grooming can be tricky as you don't want any make up to show - however it is necessary to work a little bit of magic on the skin under the harsh flash of the photographers lights. It is very important to make sure brows are plucked without looking overly manicured and facial hair trimmed or wet-shaved as necessary.

To cleanse the skin I used Crealine by Bioderma followed by Kyoku Oil Control Lotion and Lip Fuel. 

For a natural look I used Tinted Moisturiser SPF 20, Brow Definer and  Matte Bronzer by Laura Mercier. For healthy hands I pushed back cuticles which had been softened with a drop of oil, gently filed the nails and used Almond Coconut Milk Hand Creme, again by Laura Mercier.

Hair Stylist Emily Kent used Bumble & Bumble hair products to give a sleek and sophisticated coiffure.

BINKY FELSTEAD - TOPMAN GENERATION MAGAZINE

Thought I would share with you a couple of shots from a  shoot I did a while back with Made In Chelsea's Binky Felstead

"Taking our lead from the 70s sexploitation films of Russ Meyer, such as Faster Pussycat Kill, Kill and Supervixens, we headed down to London's infamous Shadow Lounge in Brewer Street – one of the capital's oldest pole dancing clubs – where she and her gang of vixens tease and bully an innocent country boy, and make him into a man." - Topman Generation

To achieve that vampy vixen look I layered two pairs of MAC Lashes Number 48 and added a thick liquid liner to the eyelid. On the bottom waterline I added a Fascinating Kohl Pencil and set with an off-white matte eyeshadow to create a rounded eye shape.
Binky has lovely skin so I buffed on MAC Face & Body Foundation then added Moisturecover Concealer where needed.
Lips were kept neutral and lightly glossy by adding Creamsheen Glass in Fashion Whim.
I kept the makeup similar for the models sans the vampy lashes. After all there can only be one SUPER VIXEN!!

Click on the products above to go straight to view them on the MAC website.

Photography: Elliott Morgan
Stylist: Rachael Rodgers
Make-up: Katherine Gould using MAC Cosmetics
Hair: Magdelena Tucholska using UNITE Eurotherapy
Art Director: John-Paul Pryor
Models: Tom, Elle and Ava at Elite Models
Binky Felstead is represented by First Model Management

No7 MATCH MADE DEVICE & MY NEW JOB

I've been sitting on some exciting news for some time now and it's finally nice to be able to talk about it! Recently famous U.K brand Boots No7 bought out a new piece of technology that was able to scan skin and match it with the perfect shade from the newly re-vamped No 7 range. Well myself and fellow makeup artist Sian-Louise Auld have recently been appointed Cosmetic Experts and Social Media Managers for this Foundation Match Made Service for the crucial launch period and over the next six weeks. Whoop Whoop!

Ok so how the technology works:

• The device uses eight visible illumination colours and one ultraviolet that are shone on to the skin from three different directions eliminating shadows

• Images of the skin under each of the nine light settings are recorded

• Tone, colour saturation and lightness of the skin are measured from the images and compared against the tone, colour saturation and lightness of each of the foundation shades to work out which shade is closest

• The device then reports the closest shade and the next closest shade to the skin colour measured

Basically it's a sort of skin scanner and in order to get a better idea of how it works I think it's best to see it in action. Check out YouTube Beauty Guru and one half of Pixiwoos, Sam Chapman as she demos the device.

Pretty cool huh?
My selected shade was Beige but after discussing with the advisor we decided that as I preferred a slightly paler look then we'd go for the next shade down in Cool Beige. I've been wearing it in the Stay Perfect Formula - ideal for long days and (ahem) late nights and it's done the job. Not only that but I have been getting comments on how nice and healthy my skin looks which leads me to believe I may have been going a bit over the top previously with my 'pale and interesting' look.

If you have any more questions then feel free to jump on the Boots No7 Facebook Page or drop me a line directly by either commenting on this post, through Facebook or Twitter. Definitely worth giving it a go!

This service is available in most large Boots Stores in the UK, search here to find the one nearest you.