Matte Lip meet Über-Balm

Keeping up with the latest makeup trends and product launches is a must when you're a makeup artist, and is, I'm delighted to say, one of the things I love about my job. 

On the one hand I'm fascinated with the way trends begin, the way they trickle down slowly into the mainstream, only to reappear again 20 years later (yes, I'm talking about you, 'Heather Shimmer' by Rimmel).

And then there's the product launches. There must be a statistic out there somewhere that says a new makeup/beauty product launches every 2 seconds (at least that's what it feels like!). But you know what, materialism aside (who actually needs 17 lipsticks?), the proliferation of new makeup and beauty products can only be a good thing. For one thing, it means products have to keep competing with each other in order to survive. And competition, as we know, drives quality.

One trend that has recently been ringing loudly in my ear (and burning my eyes, cos it's EVERYWHERE) is the rise of the über-balm. An obvious retaliation against the super-bright, über-matte lip of recent years. And they're all doing it...

Clarins Instant Smooth Crystal Lip Balm
in 'Crystal Coral' (RRP £16.50)

Revlon Lip Butter 
in 'Tutti Frutti' (currently on offer at Boots for £5.99)

Shu Uemura's Rouge Unlimited lipstick in 'CR330' (RRP £19)
Click here for a great review of the range

The Shu Uemura range is more pigmented than the other 'balms' but extremely moisturising:
"...containing jojoba seed oil, shea butter, ceramides and a moisture-lock cream (a ‘vegetal origin paste’ that keep the active ingredients close to the lips)".  - Makeup Stash (Singaporean blogger)

Do my lips look chubby in this?

And presenting, this trend's principle offender... *deep breath*:  Clinique's Chubby Stick Moisturising Lip Colour Balm RRP £16 (to give it its full, Bingley-Pottersly-Smythe title...I mean, seriously). 

I used to work in advertising so am able to envisage the type of media planning that must have gone into the launch of this little wonder stick but my, my, open any magazine this month (including last month) and there they are, placed rather ingeniously alongside cubes of 'wibbly-wobbly' jelly (the very sight of which instantly make my mouth water). But I'm sold! And clearly it's only a matter of time before I buy...

Personally, I think sheer washes of colour are great. Here's 4 reasons why:

- you don't need a mirror to apply them

- they come in a variety of spankingly hot, Pantone-inspired brights (The gods at Pantone have decreed Tangerine Orange Colour Of The Year don't cha know!)

- they keep your lips moisturised so you don't have to cart around lippie and balm in your handbag

- great for all work, date, mid dinner-party top-up scenarios

Has the sheer-wash trend washed with you yet? 

A little grooming goes a long way

I recently had the tough job of grooming three gorgeous male models for an Olympic-inspired menswear shoot for Phoenix Magazine. It got me thinking about the kinds of grooming tips I'd recommend for real guys. 

Did you know, the UK male grooming market was worth £711m by the end of 2011? (that's some serious moolah!). Gone are the 'metrosexual' days of slapping on a bit of moisturiser after a shower. In 2012, the male grooming market has completely exploded with product launches spanning cleansers, eye creams, exfoliators and masques - all designed with male skin in mind.

So what is male grooming anyway? And does it involve make-up?! <holds breath>

Chaps, let me break it down for you; there are 4 key areas you need to think about when it comes to personal grooming:

SKIN

HAIR

TEETH

NAILS

Let's start with SKIN. For as much as you might like to think you are, you're no more protected from the elements (weather, the environment, ageing) than we are. So as a basic care regime, looking after your skin is a great place to start. For one, hydrated and cared-for skin can take years off you (I've seen this first hand, particularly on older gentlemen).

Like your female counterparts, your skin will fall into 4 categories: normal / dry / combination (oily T-zone) / oily. You should know instinctively which one you are. If you're unsure, ask.

For an overview of moisturisers for DRY SKIN, check out this handy review from Ape to Gentleman from 2011. For more GENERAL MOISTURISERS - including ones with built in SPF - see Mankind. Also worth checking out are Kiehl's and Cowshed Bullock (my man uses this and he says it's 'good').

Another great tip is to exfoliate once a week (click here for the low down on what it is/how it works/why it's good). Exfoliating gently sloughs away dead skin, to reveal younger, 'cleaner' skin. Alongside moisturising, it will be the single best thing you can do (providing you remember to do it).

Next up, HAIR. If you've still got it, flaunt it! And if you don't see above and keep that head moisturised.

Two things you need to do:
1. (an obvious one) keep your hair clean and smelling good (there are so many male shampoos to choose from I can't tell you! I like the look of Redken)
2: never underestimate the power of a little styling (clay, wax, gel).

Killer smile but low on wattage (image courtesy of Starpulse.com)

TEETH: <cha-ching!>

A killer smile can work wonders but even if you're not particularly blessed with pearly whites, daily flossing and teeth whitening are a good place to start. Basically, the rule with teeth is be sensible. Keep up appearances at the dentist (I've been going to private dentist Doug Jarvis for years and cannot recommend him enough); watch out for bleeding gums and keep that breath minty-fresh (coffee breath can kill a woman at 20 paces!).

And finally, NAILS. May seem like an odd one to include but I'm the kind of gal who notices a man's hands. I'm not suggesting for a moment you have a weekly manicure (to each his own) but:
- keep nails short (unless you're a guitarist, and even then....)
- watch out for dirt under the fingernails (easily removed with soapy water and a pair of tweezers)
- don't shy away from a bit of hand cream once in a while (go on, it won't kill you)

For those who want to dip their toe a little further into the world of male grooming, check out these bad boys:

Anthony Logistics (available at Space NK and online)
LAB Series for Men (old kid on the block but looks reassuringly premium/manly <grrrrrr>)
Clinique Skin Supplies (possibly my favourite packaging of all the ranges, gun-metal grey and clearly 'not for girls')
Liz Earle Men's Skincare (don't knock it til you've tried it. British-born Liz has won countless awards for her Cleanse and Polish™ - having been a fan of Liz's products for years, I reckon her Men's Skincare range is worth a gander).

Do you have any faves in your wash bag?
_______
For those wondering what I used on the Phoenix shoot:
- Kiehl's Facial Fuel (oil-free moisturiser with built in SPF)
- Bobbi Brown hydrating eye cream
- a little concealer* (Bobbi Brown)
- Lucas Paw-Paw (cult Aussie lip balm)
- MAC blot powder (a staple on shoots to combat shine)
* not necessary for every day but hey, it's fashion daaaarling...

All images courtesy of Phoenix Magazine
Photography: © Cecilie Harris 
Styling: Rebekah Roy
Grooming: Natalie James

Oh Happy Day

My first ever palette (bless)

Indulge me, if you will, and allow me to take you on a journey...

It's 2001 and I'm working at Bloomberg (one of several pre-make-up past lives!). A colleague of mine is going on a business trip to 'Noo Yoik' and has offered to bring me back some make-up. The most covetable item among my girlfriends is a palette from Urban Decay called 'First Date to Pin Up'. It's completely sold out in the UK so I don't hesitate in asking her to get me one!

United with my new palette it quickly becomes my go-to party tool what with its shimmery emerald green eye shadow ('Urb') and super spangly 'Midnight Cowboy' (still one of Urban Decay's best selling eye shadows). The 'lip gunks' are great too. I'm a bit scared of the darker eye shadows - haven't quite embraced the smokey eye yet.

'Urb' is by far my favourite... until one disastrous day, it runs out! (cue sad face). I search high and low over several years (I'm not even kidding) to find a replacement but am continually met with 'Oh, sorry luvvie, I think it's been discontinued'. ("Noooooooo!!!")

That was until last weekend....

Meet THE perfect olive green eye-shadow, if ever there was

So it's March 2012 and I'm in Debenhams, Oxford town centre, waiting for a friend who's getting her brows done. I decide to casually meander over to the Urban Decay counter and am almost instantly accosted (do they ever let us shop in peace?!). The beauty assistant is enthusiastically explaining the benefits of the 'Invisible Eye Primer' to me when a row of eye shadows catches my eye.... (can it be?!)

"Is that..... Urb?" I ask, hesitantly and with eyes as wide as planets.

"Yes. Would you like to try it?" she responds.

(cue Nat's happy dance which involves lots of high pitched squealing).

Yes, dear reader. My all-time favourite eye green shadow, the eye shadow of my youth, the one I thought lost forever, hath returneth'd to me ELEVEN years after I first laid eyes on it. Dreams really do come true.

If you're not so familiar with Urban Decay (sorry, cult US cosmetics brand - should've said), here are two more of their best-selling products:

1. Invisible Eye Primer (RRP £14.50; The Guardian's resident beauty columist, Sali Hughes swears by it)

2. Naked 2 Eye Shadow Palette (RRP £36; a fantastic follow-up to the Naked 1)

Do you have a favourite beauty product or colour that's been discontinued and come back to life?!

3 brushes I use on a daily basis

Kabuki-in-my-life

Darlings, on this super-sunny Friday I want to introduce you to 3 of my favourite make-up brushes.

Whether I'm doing a simple make-up for day, a considered make-up for a business meeting or a full-on glamour puss look in preparation for night out, these three brushes form an integral part of the process.

First up is my Kabuki brush (see image above).

Compact and with soft but densely packed fibres, this is simply a fantastic brush for applying pressed or loose powder. It sits teeny-tiny in my make-up bag and enables me to deftly apply a little powder to my t-zone in seconds. I also use it buff in the rest of my make-up around the sides of my face and working from the top of my neck down.

I bought this little beauty in Australia (Sportsgirl nonetheless!) but there are a number of different kabuki brushes available in the UK. Here are my top 3:

- Buy now: Real Techniques Kabuki Brush (RRP £11.99 from Boots, angled for contouring and retractable for powder! Invented by the lovely ladies @Pixiwoo)
- Save: Lancôme Kabuki Brush 010 (RRP £31 from Boots)
- In your dreams: NARS Botan Brush / N°20, part of the Kabuki Artisan range (RRP £55)

Brighton to the Bahamas in seconds

Next up is 'The brush I couldn't live without', my MAC Large Angled Contour Brush (No. 168, RRP £26).

I first learnt to contour when I trained at the London College of Fashion. For those of you who are unfamiliar with contouring, it is the name given to the technique of applying a matte bronzer (shimmery in the summer) to the areas of the face you want to sculpt / give the appearance of shadow. For example, just beneath your cheek bones, along the hairline, down the nose and a little on the chin. Contouring is by far and away my favourite beauty tip. It's also my go-to pick me up whenever I'm feeling a little washed out.

Illamasqua's not-so-secret weapon!

Last but definitely not least, Illamasqua's (best selling) Eye Brow Brush (RRP: £18.50, currently out of stock due to insane demand! Yep folks, it's that good).

Boyish brows are so on trend right now so there's no excuse not to dip your toe in this cult beauty technique. Defined brows frame your face and draw attention to your eyes. The secret's in the way you do them:

- eye shadow/brow powder works best (rather than pencil). Make-up artist favourites for brows include the following MAC eye shadows: Omega for blondes/red heads, Copperplate for brunettes and Concrete for black skin.

- choose a shade which is 1 shade lighter than your natural hair colour (e.g. black hair = brown eye shadow)

- work the colour in bit by bit, moving up through and in between the brow hairs

- taper at the edges

What's your favourite brush? I'd love to know!

Be gone dark circles!

What causes dark circles?

Ladies, are you confused by how to cover dark circles under your eyes? I'm not surprised if you are. One minute we're bulk-buying YSL's Touche Eclat lest, heaven forbid, we ever run out. The next we're bombarded with images of celebs who've suffered make-up mishap #12: Reverse Panda Eye Syndrome* (be wary of over-zealous application of the wonder pen!)

There's one clear distinction which needs to be made here. Allow me to enlighten you...

YSL's Touche Eclat  is a highlighter pen. This means it reflects light (the best example of this is seen in flash photography when the flash bounces unflatteringly off the product leaving you with a stark, and very white under eye area). Highlighter pens are not correctors, and for as much as the clever marketing will convince you otherwise, if you have dark circles, these types of pens will not cover them.

Dark circles? You need a corrector.

What you need is a corrector. Correctors are matte and brightly coloured like blushers (think peach/bisque). They work by cancelling out the blue which comes from the veins which run under your eyes.

Corrector shade guide:
Pale skin = peach/bisque
Indian skin = orange
Black skin = reddy-brown

The Make-up Debate recommends:
1. Bobbi Brown Corrector (£17).
2. Bobbi Brown's Creamy Concealer Kit (£23; Winner of 'Best Concealer', Red Best of Beauty 2012 and ELLE Beauty Awards 2011).


The Make-up Debate's 5 Step Guide to covering dark circles!

You won't find a better concealer kit (Bobbi Brown, £23)

Step 1:  First prepare the under-eye area with a light, hydrating eye-cream.

Step 2: Next, press a little corrector into dark/discoloured areas using your ring finger (or a brush).

Step 3: Apply a skin-toned concealer over the top of the corrector. Concealers should be creamy in consistency (beware concealers that have dried out). Blend by dabbing with your finger until the corrector is covered.

Step 4: Add a little highlight to the corner of your eyes (but be careful not to overload your under-eye area with too much product) Tip: Alternatively you can miss out Step 2 and go straight to Step 3 - the highlighter pen - but take note; highlighters are sheer, not matte, so watch that the corrector doesn't show through.

Step 5: For a long-lasting finish, set with a light dusting of loose or pressed powder.

Let me know if this works for you!

* the image of Eva here was apparently as a result of Make-up Forever's High Definition powder and not Touche Eclat but both products produce a similar effect.

BB Creams: Can one cream really do it all?

image courtesy of Skin79

'BB Cream' is the beauty buzzword du jour (as is HD brows, but more on that later!).

Several of the major beauty brands in this country, including Estee Lauder, Dior and Clinique have all launched their own versions of BB cremes.


But what the hell is a BB cream? And are you missing out by not using one?

4 things you need to know:


1) 'BB' stands for different things, depending on the brand. E.g. 'Blemish Balm', 'Beauty Balm', 'Beauty Benefit', 'Bonking Badgers' (OK, so I made the last one up).

2) The multifunctional cream was originally developed in late 1960s Germany as a treatment balm and was "used by dermatologists to help laser surgery patients protect, soothe and refine highly sensitive skin while providing light coverage for post-laser scars..." (source: wikipedia).


3) BB cremes are old news in Asia. The first cosmetic BB creams were developed in Korea and popularised by a Korean actress who promoted their ability to "even out skin tone" and 'lighten blemish marks". As a result, the popularity of cosmetic BB creams quickly spread to China and Japan and is  now making waves in Western countries.


4) Some BB creams claim to act as a primer, foundation, moisturiser, sun block, pore minimizer and skin refiner all in one! No wonder the world's gone bonkers for BB creams!

BB Creams currently available in the UK:

1. MAC Pre + Prime Beauty Balm (£21, SPF 35. Claims to 're-texturise' the skin. Currently only available in one shade which is best suited for pale skins).

2. Estée Lauder Daywear BB (£32, available in 2 shades. Antioxidant-rich & SPF 35. Claims 'Moisture, protection and flawless perfection.' Er, yes please!)

3. Clinique New Age Defense BB cream (£25, SPF 30, available in 2 shades. Clinique claims: 'Meet your skin's everything').


There are also a number of high street brands who have jumped onto the BB cream band wagon:
Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream (SPF 35) - £17 (approx)
Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector (SPF 15) - £9.99 from Boots
No 7 Beautiful Skin BB Cream (SPF 15) - £12.95 from Boots


Have you tried a BB cream? What did you think?


ps: Here's that vid on HD brows!!!

And so my obsession with fig continues

Lust

I've always had a slight obsession with figs, forever yearning for the summer months when they're perfectly ripe and bursting out of their skins. But I never thought my obsession would extend this far...

That was until a very good friend of mine pulled something out of her make-up bag which caused me, quite literally, to gasp.

You are no doubt already familar with the name Diptyque (that Parisian brand of luxury scented candles and heady colognes)... but did you know one of their signature scents - the heavenly and oh-so-mediterranean Philosykos - is available as a solid perfume? My thoughts exactly. Stop the press.


This solid perfume is encased in a 'shiny black zamak* case, engraved with the iconic diptyque oval' and is ideal for travelling, or when you need a quick touch-up.
* "a family of alloys with a base metal of zinc and alloying elements of aluminium, magnesium and copper".  Basically, all you need to know is that it's heavy and feels reassuringly solid/expensive!


The Philosykos Solid Perfume is available at SpaceNK and at other online stockists (RRP £28). There are also 3 other Diptyque solid perfumes in the range including L'Ombre dans L'Eau, Eau Duelle and Do Son.

The Philosykos eau de toilette has long been a favourite of resident beauty columnist for Guardian Weekend, Sali Hughes and I have a sneaking suspicion it may soon become one of mine.

Laura Mercier's super rich Fresh Fig Body Butter

Another of my favourite fig-scented beauty must-haves is Laura Mercier's Fresh Fig Body Butter which is gorgeous when massaged into arms and legs before a night out. Available from John Lewis and SpaceNK (RRP £26). The Fresh Fig range also includes an eau de toilette, a hand cream, a body scrub, a honey bath, a creme body wash and a body soufflé!