Office makeup: Is it really OK to wear what we want?

The other week an article in Stylist (one of my absolute favourite magazines) caused me to spit out the coffee I was drinking. You can read the article here. The main point it was landing was that "office appropriate makeup is over". I.e. all hail individuality in the workplace, regardless of industry.

I'm sorry Stylist but I categorically disagree.

I consider myself a feminist in a modern, 21st century kind of a way (on the subject of feminism someone once famously said something along the lines of 'Believe in equal rights for men and women? Then you're a feminist. It doesn't mean you need to go burn your bra or anything.' Hear hear! Feminists get such a bad rap these days)... I digress.

As a modern day believer in all women I fully embrace and support the freedom to express one's individuality. I just don't believe the workplace is the best (or most strategic) place to do so.

Is it really OK to wear what we want?
In their article Stylist gives four examples of women who are writing their own makeup rules in their jobs. The lady who appears in the picture above, whilst I LOVE her style, works on a trading floor, no doubt outnumbered by hundreds of men. I worry that the look she's opted for as her go-to office makeup look is the equivalent of a siren red lip: aka a sexual 'come hither'.

What I mean by the 'who cares' argument is that whilst women love the Holly Golightly look we need to remember that men see/process makeup differently to women. A classic flick draws attention to the eyes which arguably encourages stronger, perhaps more prolonged eye contact (an indicator - not always - but often, of sexual desire. I acknowledge here that I'm talking purely in heterosexual, male + female terms).

For me the power in a woman's business look comes from the appearance of 'vitality' and from looking presentable and professional. 

Alison, the banker featured above and in the article, herself comments:

"No-one has given me negative feedback, although one client recently commented in a morning meeting that I looked ready for a cocktail party - which I took as a positive."

If one of my clients told me they thought I was about to hit a bar I'd be seriously questioning my look. If we're being paid by a firm to do a job, or even if we're self employed and running our own business, surely we want to look like were 'ready to do the job we're being paid for' and not 'ready to hit the dance floor'?

The male equivalent
In thinking about my response to this topic (hours I tell you, hours) I thought about what the equivalent would be for men. Imagine a male lawyer who loves the Mod era. Would it be appropriate for him to turn up to work everyday with a Mod haircut and sporting mod fashion? In an advertising or communications agency perhaps, yes (everything and anything goes) but in a legal profession? How about in a hospital? In a school? (maybe).

Social constraints
Stylist is right though. There do exist social conventions that have dictated for years what men and women 'should' be wearing to the office (e.g. pinstripe suits for bankers, pencil skirts and heels for secretaries and front of house staff) and perhaps with the 'rise of the feminine' we should be questioning certain constraints, including the makeup we wear.

But I can't help but wonder whether the point of all this is not in expressing ourselves without boundaries but in our ability to intelligently respond to and reflect our environment.

We've all seen documentary film makers enter unknown villages for the first time, villages where their inhabitants have, until now, been unexposed to western civilisation. These film makers don't go barging in, flinging their iPhones or Fitbits around. They mimic the responses of the people they're visiting. They're respectful, humble. Likewise, in the workplace, one could argue it's important to reflect the values of the company we work for or the industry we represent.

No-one likes to feel ostracised, particularly amongst our peers, and in a world where individuality can be unfairly criticised and misinterpreted why would we want to run the risk of overshadowing our talent with a look that screams 'Look at me'?

It's all in the balance
You might be reading this thinking 'how unbelievably dull, to all look the same!'. That's not what I mean at all. There are always ways to hint at a bigger, louder stamp on the world, but shouting it from the rooftops cannot but detract from the thing we actually want people to see and respect: our capability.

One of the things I teach my clients is to recognise the power of 'the new femininity' in the workplace. Gone are the days (THANK GOD) of the power dressing of the 80s and 90s, where women (Margaret Thatcher is a classic example of this) would dress and even learn to talk like a man in order to compete/be heard. Today, subtle and feminine makeup, is the new power dressing. Successful and intelligent role models such as Angela Ahrendts, Christine Lagarde, even Angelina Jolie are all demonstrating empowerment through more overtly feminine styling and makeup. But notice they don't look like they're about to hit a cocktail party.

Angelina in particular pares down her look when representing the UN. I don't see this as a weakness in her at all but rather a sign of respect for the organisation she is representing. Angela Ahrendts on the other hand used to be a pivotal figure in the world of Burberry. Stronger makeup was therefore more 'of the world' she operated in and therefore, arguably more appropriate and representative of the company she worked for. To have worn a pared back look would have looked odd.

There will always be ways in which a woman can subtly hint at her personality at work, and makeup is of course just one way to express who we really are. What I ask my clients to consider are ways of 'hinting at our personalities' in a way that keeps them just under the radar. A 'nod' to something different but without it being the lead vocal. If being strategic in our jobs pays, who's to say being strategic with our personal appearance won't be just as effective?

A comment on this post:
I'm fully expecting to receive some negative feedback in response this post as I recognise the topics raised are both controversial and highly personable to many (including myself). I don't for a minute profess to be a journalist and I'm sure the way I've expressed some, if not all of my opinions is flawed in some way. All I can say is that I feel passionately that whilst I celebrate the freedom that comes with expressing one's own individuality and tastes I can also see that from a business perspective companies are looking for individuals to champion their values. And as intelligent women, why wouldn't we recognise this? I, for one, could not hire a makeup artist who I believed did not represent the kind of makeup advice my company specialises in (natural, considered, office/industry appropriate makeup).

All comments welcome!

Image credits:

Stylist

Tom Ford Fall Winter, 2015/2016

The facial that seriously raised the bar

Unretouched and no filter

If you're over the age of thirty chances are you've had at least one facial in your life. How was it? Anything to write home about? Yup. I've had some shockers too. That was until Easter week just gone when I had what will now be referred to as The Best Facial Of My Life. If you're into facials or are a facial skeptic, then read on...

The Details
Location: Claridge's
Facialist: MARIA (put her name in your phone now, or better still, burn MARIA into your brain. I've had it tattooed on my wrist, just to be on the safe side).
Brand: Sisley
Name of facial: The Supreme Anti-Ageing Facial

Art Deco heaven
Entering Claridge's is a treat in itself (that sweeping staircase) and the lift up to the spa had a long seat stretching the length of it (remember the lift in Pretty Woman?). The lovely gentleman manning the lift said the lift was over 100 years old (and so, I think, was he. Bless him ;)

On my arrival at the spa (6th floor) I was warmly received by Maria who escorted me to a changing room so beautifully decorated and old school, I could have cried. Think wood-panelled lockers, tiny mosaic floors and marble basins. I stripped down to my knickers (sorry, TMI), donned the chunky robe and slippers provided and made my way to the treatment room.

I should stress my iPhone photos really don't do the room justice. There was a luxurious shower at one end and the room generally exuded the most wonderful energy. I couldn't wait to lie down and fall asleep!

Once settled on the massage table Maria began by asking me questions about my skin and explained how she would tailor the facial to my needs. I've used the odd Sisley product in the past, including the cult Black Rose Mask (£95.50; intensely hydrating and very often, understandably, out of stock) and their Express Flower Gel (£80; also incredible) but was intrigued to try more of the range.

Game changer
I can't remember the exact order in which things happened (I've never felt so at ease during a facial) but there was a shoulder massage (which I loved), an exfoliating mask, various serums, a moisturising mask, an eye contour mask(!), a hand and foot massage(?!) and the most incredible facial massage I have ever had.

It's hard to describe what Maria did during the facial massage but at one point, about 20 mins in, using various parts of her hands and fingers, she deployed a series of fast movements that I can only describe as 'intense pummelling'. She was so quick I genuinely wondered if she'd switched to a machine, but no, she can naturally achieve that kind of pressure and speed! It wasn't uncomfortable, rather, I didn't really want it to stop because I knew how much my face was going to benefit from the movements. And sure enough, as soon as the facial was over, I raced (albeit rather sleepily) into the changing room to inspect my skin and was delighted with the results.

I looked like I'd had botox. In a good way!

My skin about 5 minutes after facial ended. Remnants of my mascara can still be
seen but my skin is MAKEUP FREE .

10 mins later, with a light makeup having been applied. 
I still cannot get over how good my skin looks.

I'll let Claridge's explain the benefit of the anti-ageing massage:

"In a single session this treatment gives the skin a real boost, wipes away traces of fatigue, reactivates its radiance and dramatically recontours skin tissues. After a few sessions in short succession, facial muscles dramatically and lastingly regain their tone, helping to reposition facial volumes. The cheekbones are lifted, wrinkles are reduced, the face’s centre of gravity is raised."

Post facial makeup
It feels almost sacrilegious to cover up one's skin post-facial so for my meeting I opted for a sheer tinted moisturiser (Chantecaille's miraculous 'Just Skin', just along the t-zone) with strategic concealing (Maybelline's FIT concealer) around areas of visible redness (nose, chin etc). I suddenly felt like drawing attention to my eyes (ah the confidence that comes from knowing your skin looks good!) so relished applying a classic flick together with a light coat of mascara (avoid too much on the lashes if the makeup is minimal). I finished off the look with a swoosh of bronzer (Chanel Les Beiges in shade 30), a quick brush through the brows (ModelCo) and a tinted lip balm.

Claridge's Easter display in their foyer caught my 
eye as I was leaving. Love the bird cages!

Spring skirts
I was meeting a client straight after the facial so decided to wear my new red J Crew skirt which I purchased in the A/W sale. I should mention I never wear red but my friend and super stylist Jacqueline suggested I should (and when Jac suggests something you do not ask questions. You simply nod and buy it). I now wear it all the time. In fact, as I type this, I've just realised I'm wearing the exact same outfit! *blushes*

Verdict
You know those treatments where you come out thinking, "well that was nice'n'all but I wouldn't go again" well, I came out thinking "That was INCREDIBLE. It's my birthday in 3 months. I'm not sure I can wait that long?!!"

I'll admit, they're not the cheapest of facials (they start at £90 for 60 mins) but boy are they luxurious and I wouldn't honestly recommend it if I didn't think it was worth your hard earned cash.

The facials (current price list at 20/04/16)
The Sisley Facial (£110 for 60 mins)
Ecological Facial for Men (£110 for 60 mins, or £155 for 90 mins)
The Supreme Anti-Ageing Facial (£135 for 60 mins, or £205 for 90 mins)

Be sure to take a look at Claridge's Beauty Treatments as they offer some gorgeous looking package deals, including lunch in the restaurant.

Links:
Description of treatments (PDF)
Prices (PDF, as at 20/04/2016)

What every beauty brand can learn from Charlotte Tilbury

I found myself watching a video last night of Charlotte Tilbury doing makeup on the lovely Nic Chapman (Pixiwoo). I've watched a number of videos of Charlotte at work and also being interviewed (you simply must check out this eye opening interview with Sali Hughes from Sali's 'In The Bathroom' series where Charlotte reveals she REAPPLIES her makeup, INCLUDING MASCARA, before bed?!).

Where was I? Yes, Charlotte (to me) always seems to come across the same; energetic, enthusiastic and humbled by her success. As a makeup artist and also a punter I find her enthusiasm for cosmetics completely infectious. It's no wonder the brand that carries her name is enjoying such tremendous success.

Naturally the cynic in me says 'Well of course she's enthusiastic. She's probably a multi millionaire, what with her own best selling makeup brand!" But I genuinely believe there's something to be gleaned from the consistency with which she presents herself to the world.

In today's competitive world brands that do well often embody people. They have personalities and attributes. A potential disaster move for a brand, particularly as they grow in size, is when they hire the wrong kinds of people. I adore shopping in Space NK but find it infuriating when I enter a Space NK store to find what I love about that brand has been completely overshadowed by the egos of the people who run that particular shop. I'd be amazed if Charlotte Tilbury headquarters didn't actively recruit people bearing similar traits to Charlotte.

For some reason, whilst thinking about all of this I also got to thinking about pedicures (random). On the rare occasion that I treat myself to a pedicure (about once a year, if that) I'll generally go somewhere I've been before on the basis I know the 'brand' and trust them to do a good job (again, nothing worse than when the experience doesn't live up to the expectation. Sigh.

As someone trying to grow my own brand I often think about the importance of being genuine and how this attracts the right kind of people. After all, it's impossible to be everyone's cup of tea, but if you're true to yourself, the right kind of person is likely to respond. In the beginning I tried to be someone I wasn't and guess what, growth was slow. Now that I'm learning to embrace who I am and what makes me different, the change is visibly there.

Before we wrap up talking about Charlotte and what a character she is, here are three of my favourite Charlotte Tilbury products:

Lip Cheat in 'Pillow Talk' (£16)
I wear this pretty much every other day and will happily apply it under any lipstick. Its velvety texture is unlike anything I've experienced before and as lip pencils go (and boy are there some terrible ones out there) it's excellent at preventing lip colour from bleeding. Charlotte's pencils are designed to 'cheat' your natural lip line (assuming one would like slightly fuller lips) so as such it comes in a range of different tones to suit all (or at least most?) ethnicities.

The Dolce Vita Luxury Palette (£38)
When I first saw the earthy red shade in this quad I thought "there's no way I'm putting that on my eyes", but it just works. I've got green eyes and with red being the opposite of green on the colour spectrum anything with reddy or purply undertones is going to make my eyes sing. This is my go-to palette whenever I want to create an interesting smokey eye and I love love love the glittery 'pop' shade which goes over the moveable part of the eye. Rumour has it Charlotte helped Tom Ford design his cosmetics line and if you look at his shadow quads and hers there are many similarities.

OK so I lied, I have two. But MAN do I want to test this baby out! Launching soon. Love the fact the shades are numbered and that the numbers will fade once you get the hang of it and the product wears down. The woman's a genius. Either that or the people behind her are. 

This little trick has *totally* transformed my look

Mariela woke up like this. OK, maybe she woke up with the nose (I so want that nose) and
brows (don't get me started)....but the rest is makeup. Phew :)

I thought I knew everything there was to know about highlighting (or 'strobing' as it's been recently rebranded *yawn*) but that was until I got chatting to Heidi at the Hourglass counter in Liberty last week. Heidi and I had been emailing recently and I'd promised to come in at some point to check out the new ambient powders.

If you want to discover the 'trick' quickly then scroll now to the end. If not, allow me to introduce you to Hourglass.

If you've never heard of Hourglass I'd describe them as the 'red carpet ready' makeup brand (think flawless dewy 'Hollywood' skin, sculpted cheekbones and lacquered lips). Founded in 2004 by cosmetics innovator Carissa Janes Hourglass was borne out of a desire to create a modern, luxury and high performing cosmetics brand. The brand's packaging is sleek and rose gold coloured (our obsession with rose gold clearly showing no sign of waning!) and the makeup within it boasts innovative formulations designed to challenge the makeup status quo. In a nutshell it's darn good stuff.

A superior trio
Two Christmases ago I was lucky enough to be gifted the spenny but utterly gorgeous Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette (see above. This was after much begging and puppy dog eyes I might add....spending over £50.00 on any makeup item for myself requires extensive consideration, hence the Christmas 'Wish List'!)

Two years on and I've basically worn down all three of the powders, but my favourite by far was the middle one - the highlighting powder. You can imagine my glee when Holly emailed to say that Hourglass were launching a range of individual highlighting powders. And boy are they good...

Mood lighting
The Ambient Lighting powders come in four shades which the brand says are universally flattering, but I'd recommend you try them on your skin before you buy (especially seeing as they're £34 each). The shade I was most drawn to personally was 'Iridescent' (above).

And now for The Trick *drumroll* 
I've always known highlighters come in both cream and powder formulations but for some reason I'd never thought to apply a powder highlighter wet(?!) *claxon*.

"Whaaaat???!! Heidi, this is a revelation!"

What happens
Applying a powder highlighter with a wet brush does two things to your skin:

• it gives it an ethereal high-shine glow, more so than simply using a cream or powder (dry)
• it can help buff the product even more effectively into your base (or nude skin)

BUT! It's all in the balance
Since trying this technique using a number of different powder highlighters I've discovered the method has several pros and cons:

• The brush needs to be damp not wet (i.e. running it under a free flowing tap is too much. A could of drops and then wring with your hand)
• A more densely packed, round brush works better than one which splays (the Hourglass brush that is recommended to accompany this product has a flat dome shape. A stippling brush like this one would also work well).
• The more finely milled the powder the better (if you're sixteen you can wear whichever powder takes your fancy! Thin, thick, doesn't matter...but the moment you start seeing those fine lines around the eyes it's best to opt for a finely milled powder. Case in point, I tried applying my trusty Kevin Aucoin 'Candle Light'* with a damp brush but the powder was too thick to be used wet and really accentuated my fine 'late thirties' lines. Boo).
• Be warned: if you have dry skin, adding water to it might make it feel even tighter! (To combat this moisturise well before you apply your base and consider applying a cream highlighter or a light touch of a natural, non-tinted lip balm underneath your wet powder highlighter).

* It's been several years (at least four) since I bought the Candle Light powder so the formula may have changed. Net-a-porter describe it as 'lightweight' which is something I definitely would not use to describe my one!

In natural light

Natural light again and for some bizarre reason slightly cross-eyed lol

With flash

Where to find Hourglass
If you're interested in experiencing Hourglass for yourself head to Liberty, Space NK or Harrods (Urban Retreat). For those of you who might be reading this overseas (*waves*) click here and search for your nearest stockist.

I'll leave you with a pretty awesome quote I found from Hourglass' CEO:

"When I’m developing a product, it needs to be one of two things: It either needs to be the total reinvention of a category, or it needs to be a product from the future. If it’s been done, I’m not interested." BOOM!  

   - Carissa Janes, founder and CEO, Hourglass Cosmetics

Do you have a go-to highlighting product? I'd love to know.


Images: Hourglass' website and my own

This post is not sponsored. I'm merely writing about it because I think it's good stuff :) 

Do men need makeup when appearing in front of the camera?

In short, yes. But not as much as you think.

A couple of Thursdays ago I was lucky enough to find myself watching the sun rise from the 35th floor of The Shard, inside the Shangri La Hotel (the view was incredible). 

Myself and a fellow makeup artist, Laura Barrow, had been booked by a lovely client of mine (a firm) to provide grooming for eight members of its senior team (one female and seven men), all of whom were due to appear on a live webinar, to be broadcast from the hotel at 8:30am.

The men were from all over...the Netherlands, the States and Ireland to name but a few. Some had had makeup applied before. For others it was their first time. As Laura and I started to prep each gentleman individually for the cameras the usual banter began: 

‘You’ll need to bring out the heavy stuff!’

‘What can you do with these eye bags?’

‘No blue eye shadow for me, thanks’ (there’s always one ;)

Not too shabby

Of course there's a macho thing at play here, regardless of one's sexuality. 

Most men don't wear makeup on a daily basis so having it applied (even moisturiser) can feel uncomfortable. If you think about it, not only does having your makeup done require you to allow a complete stranger to come into close proximity with your face, but it also requires you to experience having a number of different products applied to your skin, by someone else. Products you may not be used to. Combine that with a 'makeup is for women and never for men' attitude and you can see why some chaps find it difficult.

Later that afternoon the gentlemen were booked in to have their makeup reapplied in preparation for another webinar which was due to start at 6pm. One of the chaps had decided he'd rather not have makeup applied again and this influenced some of the others (although in the end we did manage to convince them to having some subtle concealing and powder). 

This one particular gentleman's hesitation to have makeup, having already experienced it that morning, got me thinking:

Is it the act of having makeup applied that has changed his mind or is it simply he's skeptical of its benefit?

Some of the grooming products I use on my male clients

What makeup can do
Strategically applied makeup (assuming the makeup artist is using the right products and an appropriate amount) will give a gentleman ten hours sleep when he's barely had two. 

Clever use of colour correcting concealers will gently soften dark circles (it's important not to get rid of them completely) and a light application of a product such as MAC's iconic Face and Body will turn the volume down on any redness whilst evening out the skin tone.

Before any makeup is applied, however, it is essential the skin is hydrated.  And that's the key really to good male grooming: good skin (or the appearance of good skin). Any makeup applied thereafter  needn't be heavy. In fact, when done well it should look invisible.

A good blot powder to finish will get rid of any shine and will set the makeup. This is particularly useful on gents whose hair line is receding or for those who tend to get very hot under bright lights.


What makeup can't do
No amount of makeup will drastically reduce a person's weight or shape, however, clever use of light contouring on a man will help to add definition to his face (this can quickly go wrong so it's essential to have it done by someone who knows what they're doing!!).

Whilst makeup can help imbue health and give a person the appearance of being well rested it can't get rid of genetic factors including puffy eyes or under eye bags. There are a number of products on the market, some of them specifically for men, to help de-puff the under eye area (e.g. Clinique For Men Anti Fatigue Cooling Eye Gel £24), although it's important to bear in mind this will be a subtle, quick fix as opposed to a longer term solution.

Back to whether or not the gentleman was skeptical of the makeup's benefit on the day. As a makeup artist, of course I can immediately see the effect of strategically applied makeup on a man appearing in front of a camera and under professional lighting, but for the gentleman himself the benefits may not be as immediately visible. Perhaps what he needed to see on the day was a before and after :)

What I do know is that the makeup products available today are so good a man can have them applied a) without him feeling he's wearing anything and b) without his audience noticing.

With an increasing demand for better profile shots and the need for business men and women to appear on live webinars, never before has there been more of a need to look one's best. And makeup is just a small but important tool that can help us achieve that.

Have you had a bad experience with makeup in preparation for an important work event or special occasion? What did you learn from it? Are you a gent who's had makeup applied for a TV or other recording? How did it feel? Did you notice the difference? I'd love to know.

Oscars Beauty 2016: 3 simple looks worth trying today

Credit: Christopher Polk/Getty

I can't help but get very excited as the Oscars approach, racing to devour images from the red carpet as soon as I wake the morning after the night before.

But each year, I don't know, I feel slightly underwhelmed by the hair and makeup. What exactly am I expecting? Something a bit more other-wordly perhaps? Ethereal? I think it's a case of me wanting to see something I know I could never achieve on myself. But then that's the beauty of some of the looks this year. They are totally doable. Easy even.

The centre parting
I haven't worn my hair in a centre parting in, ooh, 14 years? But man do I wanna give it a go now!

On the red carpet it looked stunning. Understated, feminine and crucially, a far cry from the taught centre partings I remember from school.

I loved the fact centre partings seen on the red carpet this year were combined with a simple half up do (as seen on Brie Larson) or a breezy half bun (didn't the talent bomb that is Miss. Vikander look totally effortless? And that dress. Sigh).

Aussie beauty Margot Robbie (seen above) balanced a jaw-droppingly beautiful gold dress (Tom Ford) with a very 'undone' look, both in terms of hair and makeup. A strategic choice, well executed. If I looked half as good leaving the gym, let alone walking a red carpet...ha.

The thing to remember when considering giving the centre parting a whirl is to add body to the rest of your hair. Give it a bit of a blast with the hair dryer or maybe a light tong with the straighteners or  a curling wand. Anything that will ensure it doesn't sit flat against your head.

The kohl-rimmed eye
Lined eyes were a big feature this year, whether there to frame a smokey eye or to add definition to the upper lash line.

Many of my clients are afraid of kohl and eye pencils, concerned it will look 'too heavy' or 'too young', but they needn't worry. Lining the eyes with an eye pencil, providing it's the right shade for your skin tone/age, can look fantastic. Not only does it make your eyes stand out in pictures - a must on the red carpet, or for us mere mortals, at weddings or cocktail parties - but subtly smudged it can also look confident and alluring close up too.

Image Source: Getty / Lester Cohen

Kohl or pencil?
For those of you wondering what the key difference is between an eye pencil and a kohl here's a brief explanation:

Eye pencils are (generally) chemically produced and waxy in texture. They come in a multitude of colours. 

Kohl pencils - also known as kajal (or kaajal) - are nearly always black and find their roots in ancient formulas, usually made from soot (lead sulphide or charcoal depending on the region/culture).

In fact, kohl was originally invented thinking it would 'soothe and cleanse the eyes, protect against infections and safeguard against the harsh glare of the sun.'  (I did not know that).

More info: Wiki link.

Ahh, Lieb Schreiber. The best red carpet accessory ;)

The raspberry lip
A bold raspberry lip looks pretty amazing on any skin tone and is a great alternative to red. Naomi Watts opted for the hue and was my favourite overall look this year, I think because the raspberry shade perfectly complimented her blue dress whilst giving a subtle nod to the pink and purple detailing.

Even Rooney Mara's red lip had a raspberry feel

The thing to remember when wearing a blue-toned shade, like raspberry or a cool berry, is to cancel out any dark shadows under the eyes. It's also a good idea to conceal any areas of redness e.g. around the nose, on the cheeks or chin. Basically, you need a really good base (foundation and concealer).

Another good trick is to dial back the blush (or not wear any blush at all). Keep eyes classically defined, opting for earthy tones as opposed to any coloured eye shadows.

Before I go, did you see Charlotte Rampling this year?! Her elegance, style and natural beauty know no bounds. Poor thing got herself into a right pickle over the Oscars racism row (of course we need more diversity in film, not just in terms of race but also sex) but the excellent choice of frock must have been a bit of a relief.

Image credits: all Getty (as far as I'm able to tell from a google search)

Mini break makeup essentials: 15 items (and all got worn more than once)

Knowing what clothes to pack for a mini break can be challenging enough (is three pairs of shoes too much?) but keeping your bath bag lighter than a bowling ball can equally be a challenge

Monday morning last week, whilst most people were on their way to work, my boyfriend and I found ourselves grinning shamelessly aboard the 8:04am Eurostar to Brussels. After a pretty hectic Christmas we'd both decided we quite deserved a mini break, plus friends of ours had been raving about a hotel in Bruges called The Pand. Let's just say they had us at 'Ralph Lauren sheets'.

I knew I wanted to take a compact bath bag, including some pampery skincare treats as well as some versatile and luxury eye makeup products that I don't often get to wear. I also knew I'd need makeup that would transition from day to night without too much hassle. 

Here's what I ended up taking...

Every product you see here got used more than once during my 3 night stay

1. Chantecaille eye shadows are a real investment piece and are well known for their luxurious texture and crease free wear. I first used their Le Chrome Luxe Duo in 'Tibet' at a Christmas law firm event back in November. Everyone who requested a makeover that evening opted for the eye shadow duo and walked away delighted. 

On our first night away I had about ten minutes to get ready so decided to wear a sheer veil of the silvery shade finished off with a quiOk flash of mascara. On our last night we treated ourselves to a meal at the Michelin starred restaurant The Golden Herring. As it was a glamorous outing I opted for a dramatic smokey eye, cat flick and lashings of mascara. One sultry, smokey eye later all I needed was a glossy nude lip to finish.

2. Anyone who knows me will tell you I love nothing more than to decant things. In fact, when these little 5ml cosmetic pots arrived in the post I genuinely remember squealing with delight (more on these beauties if and when you make it to No. 11!). 

I didn't want to take my full size perfume* with me (even the 30ml can be quite heavy) so I decanted a few millilitres into this handy and inexpensive Muji atomiser. It can carry almost 5ml of perfume which is way more than I needed for our three nights away. 

When I'm not on holiday the atomiser is light enough to keep in my makeup bag for refreshing evening spritzes. 

*Escentric Molecules 02 which you can read all about here :)

3. If you've never heard of Dermalogica Microfoliant, shame on you, where have you been?! A glorious, everyday cleansing product, it dispenses as a super fine powder which you then mix with a little water. Gentle enough for daily use and leaves your skin feeling lightly exfoliated. Love.

4. I knew about Clarins Beauty Flash Balm for years before I tried it, mistakenly thinking it was an old school primer and that 'things must have moved on'. But, boy is it amazing. I remember asking my housemate Sal one evening what foundation she was wearing (her skin looked incredible) and we worked out it wasn't the foundation at all but rather Clarins' BFB. 

Apply it liberally over cheekbones and the outside areas of the face to boost dewiness. It can also be applied all over but I like to keep my t-zone shine free. I also love the slightly old school smell and definitely feel pampered when I wear it.

5. I was skeptical about Chanel Healthy Les Beiges having tried it in store and feeling less than enthused when it first launched. Then, one long weekend away, a close girlfriend of mine was raving about it so I thought I'd give it another whirl. II've been hooked ever since. It's the one thing that makes me look like I've had ten hours sleep when I've had four (in fairness, any bronzer that's the right shade will do this but the Chanel feels particularly luxurious). I love the fact it's buildable for evening makeup, although having said that, if I were minted and could justify buying two, I'd quite happily use the '30' for day and the '40' in the evening (Oh, the decadence). The packaging is also unmistakably chic in a way only Chanel can pull off.

6. I think the marketing for Charlotte Tilbury's makeup line is simply extraordinary but I'm staunch about what I like and don't like. For example, I'm not a huge fan of the Wonderglow Primer (although I have been known to use it sparingly on cheekbones on myself sometimes and on clients but don't think it does much all over) however, Ms. Tilbury's lip pencils are something else. I loved the idea of a lip liner to boost one's own natural lip line - a lip 'cheat' in her words - and she seems to get natural tones bang on across several skin tones. After reading several reviews I bought 'Pillow Talk'* and have been using it pretty much every day ever since. It's great under lipstick or gloss and has a fantastic waxy texture that I've not seen in other brands. *I've linked to Net-a-porter here as Pillow Talk doesn't seem to be listed anymore on CT's official site. Hope it hasn't been discontinued?! :( 

7. As well as producing fantastic eye shadows Chantecaille also produce quite brilliant lip products. I love their Lip Chic range - a glossy textured lipstick in a compact gun-metal grey case - but equally as fabulous is their range of pigmented lip glosses called Luminous Gloss.  

I lusted after the 'Pink Melon' shade for a while before I invested. Worn as a sheer veil on its own or over my Charlotte Tilbury lip cheat is perfect for day. At night I use it as more of a lip lacquer, layering it up to give my lips a sultry pout. 

8. Australia's cult product, Lucas Papaw has been around for years and is great 'all rounder'. The red tube is easy to spot in your handbag or makeup bag and a little goes a long way. Dab onto lips and onto cheekbones. Since writing this post I've read Lucas Papaw has come under fire for containing as much as 96% petroleum. The company argues its pharmaceutical grade, but even still, might have to think about switching to Burt's Bees which (appears) far more natural. 

9. This is, by far, the best tinted brow mascara I've come across for blonde/light brown hair (it also comes in a darker brown shade for medium to dark brown hair). Annoyingly it's only available online in the UK and even though there are plenty of other brow mascaras to choose from (e.g. Benefit Gimme Brow or Maybelline's Brow Drama, I keep going back to the ModelCo one. I blogged about why it's so great here.

10. I was lucky enough to get sent Estée Lauder's Double Wear, Stay in Place Brow Lift Duo or Derek for short (only joking) which has become my 'go to' brow pencil. This dual toned / dual ended brow product has small nibs making it easy to gently shape my brows with one end and highlight with the other. 

11. I mentioned way back at No. 2 that I am happiest when decanting things (including wine!). Whenever I go away I always take a couple of little pots with me (like these), one containing my favourite tinted moisturiser and one containing my favourite liquid foundation (the latter for when I might want a bit of extra coverage). Even thought the pots hold 5ml it is actually a lot of product, definitely enough for between 5-10 applications, depending how much you like to apply. 

For my mini break I decided to take just one pot with me. I filled half with Estée Lauder's Sheer Tint Release - my go to summer base because of its incredible texture, SPF and dewy glow - and the other half with my favourite tinted moisturiser.  I didn't take a full coverage foundation with me because a) I wanted my skin to breathe a little and by) I knew I'd have this fantastic high street concealer to give me extra coverage where I needed it.

12. I'm a huge fan of these waterproof eye pencils from Chanel because they. Do. Not. Budge. The shade I wear, 'Grenat', a stunning warm, reddy purple, is sadly discontinued from what I can tell but there are lots of other shades suited to all skin tones. Tip: If you're pale like me and have green eyes, a purple eye pencil will really help to show them off. Just be careful there is no other visible redness in the skin (chin, around the nose, shadows around the eyes etc) as the purple shade will only make you look ill.

13. I've been using this eye pencil by Chantecaille for ooh, let's see now, three years?  It is the perfect shade of matte espresso and easy to smudge if I want to do a smokey eye. It's also one of the only eye pencils I can wear on my waterline without it coating my contact lenses! The only thing I would change about it would be to make it even more waterproof (it does wear off more quickly than other pencils but I'm too in love with the shade to change. For the time being anyway).

14. I decided to invest in this mascara on the basis the lovely Pixiwoo sisters mention it in nearly every video tutorial. MAC's Extended Play Lash is a tubing mascara which means it comes off (in little tubes!) with warm water (mixed with your regular cleanser or oil, of course).  Sam (one half of the Pixiwoos) likes to wear it on her lower lashes but I've been wearing it on my upper and lower lashes. It's not waterproof but doesn't smudge and the thin wand is great at getting right to the base of the lashes. If you're a fan of big fat mascara brushes this might frustrate you and I'd say you definitely need to be curling your lashes before you apply it, but otherwise it's dinky, relatively inexpensive (£15) and delivers long, black black, perfectly separated lashes.

15. Lastly but definitely not least(ly), it has been one of my holy grail of searches to find a decent liquid eyeliner, one that stays put, has the right size tip and is matte. It was actually a high street brand that finally came up trumps. Maybelline's Master Ink Matte liquid liner is a dream to put on and I can achieve a super fine or thick feline flick in mere minutes. My one tip: have a tissue to hand and dab the nib once before you apply to remove any excess liquid.

One of my most hard wearing and happy of bath bags, bought on holiday in Australia.
Reserved for holidays and weddings.

Other items I snuck away in my stripy bath bag included:

- Pretty Quik nail varnish remover pot (one of my best discoveries of 2014)

- Bourjois Poudre de Riz de Java - an ever-so-slightly-sparkling finishing powder that has that old school cosmetics smell

- some Bioderma Sensibio H20 miscellar water, decanted (I did warn you) into a handy spray for speedy eye makeup removal

Did I mention the gin?! :)

What are your travel skin or makeup essentials? Any tips for transporting the goodies?

Until next time, happy Thursday xx