Thursday 14 February 2013

And the winner is....................................take two

I couldn't possibly write a how-to piece on the red carpet makeup at the BAFTA's this year without including the forever youthful Helen Mirren. I love this look for her, the cropped hair and it's colour and the elegant, fresh and radiant makeup.

So let's look at this makeup creation in more depth..................................



                                                 Image at www.metro.com

In the flesh, Helen Mirren is just as beautiful as she appears on the silver screen. She has always looked full of vitality and this look is certainly no different. Here, she proves that this look is ageless and, to me, she totally rocks the pink hair!

Although the makeup here looks pretty natural there is some fantastic, quiet contouring, brilliant brow shaping, really radiant colour choices for the complexion and some clever work with false lashes to achieve this elegant, modern look.

As skin matures, the texture and colour change considerably and we need to remember this when choosing skin care and cosmetics. Don't be afraid to ask questions and get advice from skin care counters in your favourite department store and don't feel obliged or pressured to buy anything. There's nothing wrong with doing your research and taking your time in deciding what you're going to go for. You should expect to use any new skin care routine for about one month before you see the full effect, as this is how long it takes for your newly formed skin cells to travel up through the layers of the skin to the surface having been infused for a month with the active ingredients of your chosen skin care. Fabulous!

Before a special occasion I love to use and recommend using Bliss Triple Oxygen Energising Masque which is packed with vitamin C and brightens, tightens and lightens the skin in just a few minutes. It infuses the skin with pure oxygen and it's foamy texture feels really zingy on the skin as the tine bubbles burst on your skin!I feel a masque coming on........!

To add a youthful glow to mature skin or skin that its just looking a bit tired, then a pink or apricot undertone to your foundation and powder gives a gorgeous effect. Have a look at Dior Snow foundation, it contains fresh glow pigments and rosy highlights to give a pick-me-up to dull skin and diamond powders to illuminate. It even has Glow Control powders to absorb and control your skin's excess oil production, if need be! Could they get any more into this wonder product and they even have a powder to match!

Can you see how the blush colour is concentrated on the "apples" of the cheeks? (The bits that pop out when you smile!) This is a naturally youthful way to wear blush as it adds volume to the cheek area which can often diminish over time. Look in the mirror, smile at yourself and start applying colour lightly and delicately onto the plumpest part, blending well with clean fingers (remember, we're not going for the Aunt Sally look here, in fact, we're never going for the Aunt Sally look!)

And look at her brows......a light colour but perfectly groomed and defined. If you're planning on defining your brows with some colour, be sure to measure them first to make sure you're not going to make yourself look lopsided! Take a thin brush or pencil and hold it at the outer corner of your nose/nostril, pointing it straight up past the inner corner of your eye and beyond. The point at which the brush meets your brow is where your definition should start. Next, keep the pencil at the corner of your nose and swing it outwards to the outer corner of your eye and beyond. Again the point at which it meets your brow is the best place to stop the colour, and if your brow doesn't reach there, then lightly extend your colour to that point. I'm a huge fan of defining eyebrows. I once spent a few days escorting two makeup artists from Singapore who had come to London to join my team of artists for the BAFTA's. Eyebrows are big business where they are from and so I watched and learnt how they applied their colour for a simply beautiful effect. Perfectly defined but soft too.

Onto lashes. Lashes are a great way of optically lifting the eyes, giving them a wider appearance and so are perfect when creating a youthful look. If you're a little worried about them looking over the top you really should try Ardell Accent Petit half lashes 318. Sooooo easy to put on but transform the look of your makeup. Keep the area underneath the eyes fairly clear which again will brighten and open the eyes.

And finally to the lips where we can afford to be a little more daring. For all lips, but especially mature lips, I'd love to share a secret with you.................Lipstick Queen at Space.nk, Silicone Invisible Liner which acts like an invisible force-field around your lips to stop bleeding and feathering! Total genius! You can then use another liner in a similar colour to your natural lip colour to define the shape. Take your time and use small strokes, working more towards the outer edge of your lipline to give a fuller appearance. Blend with a clean brush then go for something bright and bold to finish your glam look. Bobbi Brown Creamy Lip Colour in Italian Rose 09 is great for adding a bit of va va voom!




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