Beautiful Flawless Glowing Skin with a Nude Lip
/I still adore this make up look that I did on my gorgeous friend Jade last year - beautiful glowing sun kissed skin with a nude lip...what's not to love??
Here's how to re-create this look:
Step 1 Foundation - Nars Sheer Glow (Punjab), No 7 Foundation Brush
Foundation is used to give a smooth flawless complexion. Using either your fingers or a brush, blend in the foundation, working from the centre of the face outwards. Keep blending until the foundation appears to be in synergy with the rest of your skin, there should be no obvious lines and it should not be visible.
To ensure you pick the right shade of foundation, apply some onto your jaw line and spread it down toward your neck, the foundation should almost disappear and blend into the shade of your neck – this will tell you that you have picked the right shade. If it appears too light or too dark then it is not right for you, always try to test foundation in natural light. If you apply too much foundation or the wrong shade it can look cakey and like you are wearing a mask.
Step 2 Concealer - Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer, Real Techniques Concealer Brush
Apply a small amount of concealer to cover any blemishes and under eye circles. To apply concealer it is best to use fingers as it warms on your skin and is easier to apply. Pat the concealer where you think you need it to blend it into your skin. You will then need to set this with a little powder (especially under the eyes) to ensure it doesn’t crease.
Step 3 Powder - Rimmel Stay Matte Translucent Powder, Real Techniques Buffing Brush
Dust powder over the foundation to set it. Depending on your skin type will depend on whether you feel you need to powder all over, just on your t-zone, or no powder at all. If you have oily skin then you may want to set all of your foundation so you know that it will last longer and not go streaky. Some people may find they just have an oily t-zone therefore will only need to apply powder down the centre of the face. If you have quite a dry skin type then best to not use any powder at all as it will make it appear even dryer and is quite aging. Remember, don’t use too much powder if you want to have a healthy radiant glow!
Step 4 Blusher - Maxfactor Miracle Touch Creamy Blush (Soft Pink), Real Techniques Stippling Brush
This blusher was perfect for the natural radiant glow that I was trying to achieve. It is a beautiful creamy blush with no shimmer, it makes the skin appear healthy and bright and almost appears as though it is glowing from within. Perfect for those winter months when your skin may appear dull and sallow. I applied this all over the apples of the cheeks with a stippling brush. By applying a cream blusher with a stippling brush it ensures that you don’t mess up any of the make up underneath as you are just pressing the blusher onto the cheeks as opposed to rubbing and blending it with fingers.
Step 5 Bronzer - MAC Matte Bronzer, Real Techniques Contouring Brush
I used bronzer on my model to contour her face, by contouring it creates structure and gives the face more architecture. I applied it to the hollows of her cheekbones so they appeared more prominent and also on the sides of her forehead and down the sides of her nose. By applying bronzer carefully in the right places you can ‘cheat’ the shape of your face!
Step 6 Highlighter - Laura Mercier Loose Powder (Star Dust), Benefit Fan Brush
Where bronzer is used to create depth and structure, highlighter is used to create luminosity and glow. The highlighter was applied on top of the cheekbones, down the centre of the nose onto the cupids bow and above the eyebrows. By applying it in these places it can give your whole face an instant lift and add brightness.
Step 7 Brows - MAC Eyeshadow (Charcoal Brown), MAC 263 Angled Brush
I used a brown eyeshadow to shape and define the eyebrows and give more of an arch. Again this will enhance the rest of your features and give your whole face a lift. Using a angled brush I started at the inside of the brow and following the natural shape of the brow worked my way out in soft subtle strokes. Be careful not to add too much definition to the inside of your brow as it can look too harsh. The idea is to build up the brow and make it look fuller, thin over plucked brows can be very ageing.
Step 8 Eyeshadow - MAC Eyeshadow Woodwinked (all over eye lid), MAC Eyeshadow Rice Paper (in corner of eyes to highlight), MAC 217 Brush
I applied this beautiful bronzy goldy brown colour all over the eyelid. This colour is perfect for this look as it gives the eyes a very pretty sultry look with a bit of shimmer. I used a fluffy MAC 217 blending brush for the eyes as it blends the eyeshadow beautifully and becomes seamless once blended and natural. I contoured the eyes by applying a little more of the eyeshadow into the crease of the eye and doing a sweeping motion back and forth blended it all out. By applying a darker colour into the crease it gives the eyes more definition and depth. I used the paler shade ‘Rice Paper’ just below the brow to give the illusion of space and in the inside corner of the eye to brighten up and give a fresh faced look.
Step 9 Eyeliner - MAC Carbon (to line the top lash line), Maybelline Eyeline Brush
I used eye shadow instead of eyeliner on the top lash line to define the eyes but still keeping it soft and pretty. I didn’t apply it to the lower lash line as I didn’t want it to look too heavy and made up. When applying eyeliner to the lower lash line avoid applying a blunt line under the eyes - it can look very harsh and ageing as well as making your eyes look smaller. Instead use a Q-tip and eye shadow and smudge it along the lower lash line so it creates a softer more smoky effect. Or, use your ordinary eyeliner (ideally a pencil and not liquid/gel) and apply a couple of dots in the outer lower lash line and smudge in towards your nose, about 3/4 of the way along your eye creating a soft haze under the eyes.
Step 10 Mascara – Maybelline The Falsies Mascara (Black Drama)
Lots of big fluttery strokes of mascara finished off this pretty make up look, I curled the eyelashes with Shu Uemura eyelash curlers and then applied a couple of layers of mascara to the top and bottom lashes.
Step 11 Lipstick - Barbara Daly Lipstick (Champagne)
I applied this all over the lips and really blended and patted it in well so it just looked like the lips had a natural peachy pinky sheen to them.
Brow Banter
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So - here it is make up buns, me...with 100% au naturel naked brows! Excuse the Crime Watch expression...not sure what happened there!
Following on from my post yesterday about the Suqqu eyebrow pen, lots of people asked for a before and after pic..so here it is!
As you can see it makes a huge difference - from the picture on the left where my brows are not filled in and look a bit messy and un...groomed and very pale - to the picture on the right where I have used the Suqqu pen and my brows look much more defined and groomed.
I think it is a crime to see overplucked brows - eyebrows are the pillars of the face and should be left alone. They frame the face and can give you an instant face lift (without the surgery). I always think it looks so much more youthful to have thicker fuller eyebrows that are well groomed and defined but still look natural.
So, come on girls - grow back your brows and be proud of them! Be inspired by people like Cara Delevingne, Keira Knightley, Mila Kunis etc. Gone are the days when overplucked overdone brows were all the fashion now its all about the thicker the fuller the better
So for anyone looking for 'the one' eyebrow product - this is definitely it for me. Plus its oil resistant and waterproof - huge plus!
Hope this was helpful - that's all for now poppets.
Lots of love
Dani x
Suqqu Brow Pen
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The best brow pen in the world! I have to share this with you guys as it could change your life
For those of you that have over plucked brows or brows that are sparse and thinning - this is the product for you!
The Suqqu brow pen: This eyebrow pen is A-MAZ-ING. I have wanted it for my make up kit for yonks but at 20 quid a pop I was reluctant to splash out especially without trying it first. La...st week I decided to bite the bullet and buy them - I bought both shades (brown & moss green) - they arrived on Friday and I just had to try them out straight away! Moss Green suits me best as I prefer my brows to be a bit darker and more defined whereas the brown would suit fair hair/skin. This liquid eyebrow pen is both oil and water resistant so will last all day - it goes on so naturally that your brows look completely natural and not at all drawn on (unlike some brow pencils)! The colour is also so natural and doesn't have that ginger reddish tinge that a lot of eyebrow products have. You can use it to fill in the gaps where your brows are sparse or you can make your brows really thick and defined.
It is honestly amazing - I can't wait to try it out on my clients as brows are the one thing that are really tricky to get right when filling them in, with this product I never need worry again
I am so scared it will run out so I am just going to save it for special occasions on myself!
The only place that I know of that you can buy it from in the UK is Selfridge's (I ordered mine online).
Anyway that's all for now buns - will try and post a pic of my brows after using this..can't at the moment as am having a make up free day today
Lots of love xxx
Bronzed Goddess
/Bronzer tips & tricks:
So with summer just around the corner it's time to dig out the bronzer to get that sun kissed holiday glow!
The trick to applying bronzer is to pick the best shade and apply sparingly- too much and you’ll look dirty, and the wrong shade will make you look like an oompa loompa…! ...
Always make sure you blend it in so that there are no harsh lines and it appears seamless. Bronzer should not be obvious, it should look completely natural and just appear to look like a natural shadow on the face. I always find it best to use a matte bronzer as the ones that have sparkles and glitter in can look far too much and it's harder to build it up.
Always use a domed shape brush when contouring with bronzer as it is the perfect shaped brush for blending and you don't get too much on the brush at once. Also because it is tapered the colour collects on the tip of the brush and then you can blend it all out with the outer part of the brush.
My favourite bronzer brush is Real Techniques Bronzer brush.
My favourite bronzers are MAC Matte Bronzer and Rimmel Natural Bronzer in Sun Glow. Both of these are glitter free!
There are four places where I like to apply bronzer when contouring:
1) Hollows of the cheeks: By applying bronzer to the hollow of the cheeks this will immediately make your face look slimmer and give it more definition and architecture - as well as giving you killer Kate Moss cheekbones! The best way to find the hollow of your cheek is to hold your brush along your cheek until you can feel the dip,this is where you need to apply the bronzer, as shown in the pic above! Start from the outside near your ear and blend in towards your mouth, dont go too far or you will end up looking odd! I wouldnt go any further than the middle of your eye.
2) Nose: You can either dust it down the centre of your nose (sparingly) or a little trick to make your nose look slimmer - apply it either side of your nose near the bridge and then use highlighter down the centre of the nose.
3) Brow Bone: I like to apply it under my brows as this gives a more even complexion and brightens the eyes.
4) Temples: This will warm up the whole face and give you a beautiful glowing golden goddess appearance!
Now all we need is for the sun to come out
Thats all for now poppets.
Lots of love xxxx
