Make up

Makeup

When thinking about make-up we all tend to think about cosmetics, but a new trend sweeping slowly over the country is semi-permanent make-up. Micro pigmentation is placed just under the skin, and lasts about one and a half to three years.
Don't forget all great works of art need good a canvas, so no matter how good your cosmetics are you must begin with a good skin care regime to give the best effect.
Make up doesn't only mean decoration it also means camouflage and there are specialised cosmetics for this very purpose, all sorts of birth marks and scars can be easily covered in a wonderful range of waterproof make-up. You will also find these cosmetics to be highly refined and incredibly natural looking.

How do I make my nose look smaller?
One of the best tricks I use to make the nose appear smaller is to carefully blend a powder or concealer down the sides of the nose using a small synthetic brush (use one or to shades darker than your skin tone). Make sure to blend very well!

This will make the nose appear much slimmer at the sides. A pale powder or concealer can be blended lightly along the centre of the nose to streamline it too. For a nose that is slightly larger at the end, I recommend again, using powder or concealer (one or two shades darker) and blend onto the tip of the nose and along either sides of the tip.

The key to slimming down the nose effectively is all in the blending. Fingers and sponges work best for blending, unless you have chosen to use powder colour rather than concealer - in which case please use a small soft brush.

How do I make my eyes look bigger?
Firstly it is important to make sure that the actual eyes are properly hydrated and not red. Very popular amongst celebrities and makeup artists is a product called Collyre Blue These eye drops reduce the amount of yellow in the eye and are tinted blue, which actually makes the whites appear brighter.

Secondly, it is essential to curl the eyelashes using eyelash curlers. These will help open up the eye immediately, by lifting the eyelashes. Make sure you invest in a good quality pair of curlers and you will have them for life. Shu Uemura do the best pair, used by professionals. They also supply the refill pads too!

Next, you need to take a soft shimmery highlighter shade and apply it to the inner corners of the eyes. A pale gold, silver or flesh tone works best as long as it has a shine to it. This will instantly make the eyes appear brighter and make your eyes sparkle. Another good effect is to apply a white (or very pale pink) eyeliner to the rim of the eyes - your eyes will appear larger. Sometimes it is lovely to sweep a small amount of shimmer just on top of the middle of the eyelid, this enhances your natural eye colour.

Lastly a good few coats of mascara, combed through well with a lash comb and you are ready to go!

How do I prep my face properly before applying makeup ?
To create a perfect flawless foundation base, it is important to prep your skin correctly so that the foundation will glide on smoothly. One of the best things you can do is to exfoliate your skin regularly with a gentle exfoliater. The best one I have found that can be used daily is Dermalogica Daily Micro-exfoliant.

Next, use a gentle toner to close your pores so that the makeup will not sit in them. If you really do not like toner then a few splashes of cold water will do the trick. My favourite toner is Sisley’s Eau De Florale - it is extremely gentle on the skin and contains botanicals that feed the skin.

Apply a good moisturiser that is not too greasy, as you do not want your makeup to slide around on your skin. I recommend one from the Oil Of Olay range that is suited to your skin type. Moisturise well and really massage into the skin - as this will boost circulation and ensure a natural glow beneath your makeup.

Lastly apply a foundation primer, as these really do work to help the makeup glide on and stay on all day. Many companies stock them now, but my favourite is Laura Mercier foundation primer

How do I make my lips appear fuller?
There are several ways to make lips appear fuller. One foolproof way is to use a lip liner in the same colour as your own lips. Take a small amount of concealer and dab lightly over the lips, including the natural lip line of your lip. Draw carefully, slightly above your natural lip line all around your lips. Choose a lipstick that matches your lip liner and fill in the rest of the lips with it. Of course, applying gloss to the lips will always make them appear fuller.

Another method is to take a cream highlighter stick and with a lip brush apply in a V-shape to the cupids bow of the lips (this is the natural V-shape at the top of the lip). Next, take the lip brush and highlighter and paint onto the centre of the lips on top of you lipstick. Apply a layer of gloss over the top.

How do I keep my makeup looking fresh all day?
For a fresh look that lasts all day, I recommend using a makeup primer first - such as Nars Makeup Primer. Primers really do ensure that your foundation stays in place most of the day or night. If you feel as though your makeup has gone a bit dry during the day, then I thoroughly recommend a product by Laura Mercier called Secret Finish. It can be applied on top of makeup to refresh it and will give a radiant glow, once again, to the face. A must have product!

A serum underneath your foundation base will feed the skin with moisture throughout the day. Try SK11 De-wrinkle Essence. Bronzing powder adds a quick and easy healthy glow to the face and can be used anytime to wake the face up. Apply on top of your make up. But use sparingly!

It is also good to carry a hydrating spray mist in your bag, as a quick spritz will also revive your face instantly and create a beautiful glow. Try Estee Lauder Skin Refresher - it is a brilliant product that rehydrates the skin.

How do I apply cream blusher?
Cream blusher is the best product to achieve a natural rosy glow. It is extremely flattering for anyone. It can be blended easily with fingertips, so no need for brushes! Make sure you warm your fingers up first, as this helps to blend the cream colour easily into the cheeks.

If you apply too much, it is easy to correct by blending thoroughly and applying a very light amount of tinted moisturiser on top to take down the colour.

Cream blusher is best applied to the apples of the cheeks and blended outwards. However, cream bronzer should be applied from the hairline to underneath the cheekbone and blended down the face.

Experiment with colours and mix a few shades. Finish off with a light dusting of translucent loose powder to set the blush. I recommend all of the Stila range of cream blushers, as well as Estee Lauder who also have some great colours!