Le Salon de Beaute

Summertime Hair Solutions

2013-06-20T08:00:00.000+01:00

The humid warmth of London is finally here. I think it’s because I come from a warm climate originally, that I *live* for this time of the year! The long, cold London winter is such a massive struggle for an Australian! Whilst all my friends are dying of heat exhaustion, I’m like a lizard on a rock lapping it up. Well, not literally, as I would burn to a crisp if I tried that!!

With fine hair, that was recently cut quite short, this is my ideal weather. I wash my hair, throw in some mousse and some salt spray and leave it to dry. It takes about 15/20 minutes in this heat and it’s all done and has the perfect wavy/curly texture I like. I sort out the cowlicks at the front of my hairline and then dash out the door. Yayyyy! Few things make me as happy as a low maintenance routine.

At the moment, my favourite mousse is Andrew Collinge’s Weightless Volume mousse. Sadly I can’t find this anymore and suspect the entire line has been discontinued. Drats. It’s like whipped air and for fine hair like mine, it’s perfect. At least I still have this and another can left to get through!

I have been using tons of texturising sprays since having my hair cut short. Most recently I’ve been using the Joico Structure Beach Spray. Oooohhhh. This is *really* lovely! It’s super light, smells great and I don’t get crunchy hair with it! Yay!! Also, I really love the packaging. It’s a super sleek metal can. It makes me happy when I’m tired and cranky first thing in the morning.

Rebecca xx

Bioderma Photoderm Bronz Invisible Mist

2013-06-19T13:27:00.001+01:00

There is sunshine in London! I’m too excited for words!!!!!!!! It’s time to bask is its glory but first I need to get the sunblock out. This summer I’m all about the Bioderma Photoderm Bronz Invisible Sun Mist. It comes in both SPF 30 and 50. 30 will do me for the moment but if it gets any brighter, I’ll definitely be getting into the 50.

This is such a lovely product. It feels like a watery serum and applies perfectly clear. No more greasiness and no more creamy, white blotches from where you haven’t rubbed in your lotion properly! You’re also a lot safer when it comes to getting any marks on your clothes as well. Definitely one for my set bag on any location shoots!

The SPF 30 is £19 and the SPF 50 is £21.50. Each of the bottles are 200ml. With the spray applicator it makes it really easy to apply and the consistency means you don’t get a ton of wastage.

Now I just need to plan a lovely holiday to justify buying some more! You can get your Bioderma in London from John Bell and Croyden in Wigmore Street. If you’ve not been before, you’re definitely in for a treat! This is quite the little wonderland for beauty boffins!

Rebecca x

Chanel, Baby

2013-06-18T10:04:00.001+01:00

My Mum and Dad were visiting me last week and they helped me with a ton of stuff around the house. One of the things we finally got around to doing was framing my Chanel campaign photos. I’ve had these squirreled away for soooooooo long!

There are two each of the lips and the chopped up lipsticks. I just love these. The tricky thing with these is that they’re actually lighbox slides. I think Mum has done an amazing job of them. I have two over my fireplace and two over my couch. I love how the pinks go with the paint colour in my living room. It has really made it super fresh and bright in here.

The other one I have is a regular poster. I think this is so pretty. The tricky thing is, I have no idea where I’m going to hang it! At the moment it’s sitting on a bookshelf, but that just won’t do! I suspect it will end up either in my room or in the guest bedroom. What do you think?

Rebecca x

Rose Martinis at the Mandarin Oriental

2013-06-17T08:00:00.000+01:00

Saturday was quite a big day. In the morning I had to say goodbye to my parents that had been visiting from Australia for the week. It's always so hard and, obviously, there were tears. But there was no time for doom and gloom because I was off to make up some beautiful bridesmaids at the Mandarin Oriental in Knighstbridge.

It's not every wedding where you get to see a royal procession go right by your window! The bridesmaid and I both ran out to the landing to take snaps! We decided it was definitely all for the bride!

Getting the bride ready up in her room was pretty manic and as everyone was trying to race around in preparation to leave, Yoko Ono walked by and took a peek inside to see what all the ruckus was about! Eep!!!!! I *love* Yoko Ono! I've met her once beforehand years ago and she was so amazingly sweet and lovely.

After we got all packed up, Mariam and I decided we could use a cheeky drink in the bar downstairs. Seeing as it was world gin day, we decided on martinis. Mariam is a sucker for a super duper dirty martini and I went for the rose flavoured. I love rose flavoured food and beverages and this was the best yet, I think!! Yummmmmm!!! I ended up having two and could have happily had a lot more!

Fingers crossed I get to go back soon for more!!

Rebecca x

Kit Essential: Bourjois Magic Nail Polish Remover

2013-06-13T17:42:00.001+01:00

This *has* to be in my kit. It literally takes a second to remove nail varnish and even works on glitter varnishes!!! On a shoot, time is short so I'm forever grateful for this little gem. Models always mention how good it smells as well. I just wish they made one for toes.

http://m.boots.com/mt/www.boots.com/en/Bourjois-Magic-Nail-Polish-Remover-75ml_1253870/#un_jtt_addtohome_hidden

R xxx

Estee Lauder Day Wear Sheer Tint

2013-06-12T08:00:00.000+01:00

This has been a fairly new discovery for me. I have it in a few colours so I can put it in my kit but I wanted to put it through its paces on my own face for a while first. My verdict? I really like it. Luckily, I’ve had the perfect weather for it with all these lovely, sunny days we’ve had! Perfect conditions for creating a natural, glowing complexion.

This is a really sheer tint of colour. Light, even by tinted moisturiser standards. If your skin is in tip top condition, you could just wear a light layer applied with your fingers. This is somewhat buildable but if you have redness, pigmentation or blemishes you want to cover, you’ll still need a concealer. I *have* tried applying it with a sponge and that’s given me considerably more coverage but keeping the fresh look I’ve wanted to achieve at the same time. The bonus here is that it has a SPF of 15 in it as well.

This is the type of foundation that I wouldn’t want to powder over. If you’re particularly oily and you need to set your foundation in, then this probably isn’t for you. It’s probably not ideal for anyone that wants to cover a bunch of skin dilemmas up, either. I’ve got a little redness and a couple blemishes at the moment so I put the Day Wear all over, then my Laura Mercier Moisture Supreme Foundation on my toublesome areas. Under my eyes and on any blemishes, I go straight to my Estee Lauder Double Wear Concealer. My skin looks like skin but a better version of my own skin. Perfect!

You can find your Estee Lauder Day Wear Sheer Tint here.

Rebecca xx

Stay All Day Victoria’s Secret Style Hair

2013-06-11T08:00:00.000+01:00

Do you dream of having the gorgeously wavy curls of a Victoria’s Secret model? Well, I have some inside knowledge on how you can achieve it! Not only that, I can help you so that they’ll last all day! After washing and drying your hair, you’re going to need three things…

A Mason Pearson natural bristle brush like this one from Escentual.com
A really good 32mm hot tong. I like the Babyliss Dial-a-Heat from LookFantastic.com
Joico's Texture Boost. You can get this little bottle of wonder from feelunique.com

Clip your hair into sections and take 1 inch pieces at a time. Brush it through with your bristle brush, spray in some of the Texture Boost, brush it through to distribute the product then tong. Repeat all over head. Remember to always tong the pieces around your face away from you.

Once you’ve done your whole head, flip your hair upside down and shake it all out. Remember to give the roots a good shake with your fingers as well. This would be a good time to spray a little hairspray in your roots for extra lift. Flip back over, smooth lightly with your Mason Pearson and, voila, beautiful and bouncy curls that will hold all day.

I’m not going to lie, this is a fairly time consuming process. It’s probably not an every day thing, more for special occasions. It’s worth it, though!!

Rebecca xx

Sinless Sun Self Tan

2013-06-10T08:00:00.000+01:00

Everyone that knows me knows that I don’t use self tan. I have commitment issues at the best of times and going through the process required to keep up a faux tan is waaaayyyyy beyond my commitment capabilities. However, I’ve caught sight of myself in the mirror a few times lately and I’m one step away from being a Cullen! I have insanely fair skin. The freckles create a little confusion for people but I’m usually one of *the* lightest foundation colours you’ll ever find. My skin is practically see through.

I just couldn’t take it anymore. I go through these phases every few years. I usually end up throwing my tanners away because I go a weird shade of green and the patchiness drives me crackers. I was given this tube of Sinless Sun forever ago. It’s been sitting in my bathroom taunting me ever since. I finally caved and I’ve been putting a layer of it on every week or so. I use a mitt to put it on and I’ve been getting a gorgeously even glow. I struggle getting my back even but that’s more to do with my arms being too short than the actual product.

I’ve had quite a few compliments on how I look like I’ve caught the sun really nicely. It always makes me chuckle, though, because I’ve never been able to achieve a real tan in my life! It has a very slight smell of that giveaway “biscuit” fragrance but it’s not nearly as strong as some other brands.

I can’t recommend this enough. You can get it from Superdrug for under a tenner. Bargain!

Rebecca xx

Stila Festival Of Colour, My Top Picks

2013-06-07T08:00:00.000+01:00

The Stila Festival Of Colour for Summer 2013 is in stores and these are my favourite picks.

Number 1 has to be the Stay All Day Smudge Stick in Turquoise. I am somewhat obsessed with this and am dying to get my mitts on at least one. You’ll need to be quick as Spring’s Periwinkle sold out before it hit most stores. I *loved* using this at the press launch for the line. The colour pay off is beyond and the staying power is beyond impressive.

My other favourite is the Stay All Day 10-in-1 HD Illuminating Beauty Balm with SPF 30. This is a little package of surprise, truth be told. It gives a lot more coverage than I was expecting and gives you a truly flawless glow. It’s designed for a fair complexion but there is a bronze version if you’re darker. I love that there is such a high SPF. At the press day, I was expecting to use it as a primer with the Stay All Day regular foundation over the top. However, I didn’t need it! Just a little bit of concealer on any dark circles or blemishes and you’re good to go with this one! Brilliant!

R xx

Skechers Tone-Ups

2013-06-06T08:00:00.000+01:00

I was mildly panicked about my figure during winter but now that the sun has finally arrived, all out terror has struck. Argh! *Why* do I insist upon comfort eating on all those cold, wintery nights??? So the workout DVDs have all been dusted off and I’m going to be rid of that muffin top asap! I’m thinking about getting a pair of these Skechers Tone-Ups to speed things along a little. Cute, no?

R xx

Spring Is Finally Here!!

2013-06-05T08:00:00.000+01:00

The sun is here! It’s making me want to crack out the wedges, pastels and pretty dresses!!!!

Zatchel Cross-Body Grass Green Pastel Saddle Bag

Odeon Boston Black Ankle Wrap Espadrilles

French Connection Pixel Python Dress

R xx

Chime For Change With Max Factor

2013-06-04T08:00:00.000+01:00

I was a super lucky girl this weekend just gone. I was part of the Max Factor team making up the backup singers, musicians and dancers for the acts headlining the Chime For Change concert at Twickenham. Eep! It was a loooooong day. I left my house a little before 7:30 in the morning and didn’t get home till after 1:30 the following morning! Mon dieu! It was pretty brilliant, though!

Everyone was in such a happy and excited mood about performing. I think that’s what happens when you’re working for such an amazing cause, like empowering women across the globe. I think one of my highlights was definitely watching the Beyonce rehearsal. We weren’t allowed to take any photos for that, I’m afraid. I’ve put a little album of photos I did take above. As usual, they’re just taken on my phone. I have enough to carry around without trying to add a fancy camera to the mix!!!! There are also a couple of videos on my facebook page, Rebecca McMahon Makeup.

If you’d like to make a donation to help give women in less fortunate countries the education, health care and justice that we enjoy, then just click here.

Rebecca xx

Another Ralph Lauren Event

2013-06-03T08:00:00.000+01:00

Remember when I swooned about going to Highclere Castle, where they film Downton Abbey, for Ralph Lauren last year? Well, I was lucky enough to be part of the team for another presentation at Ralph Lauren House in London earlier this month.

I just stumbled across a blog post by someone that attended the event with a bunch of photos, so I thought I’d share it.

http://www.thelondoner.me/2013/05/polo-party.html

R xx

My Favourite Things Du Jour

2013-05-31T08:00:00.000+01:00

Here are the things in my bathroom cabinet that are making me very happy right now.

You probably already know how much I love Alpha H and their original Liquid Gold. I was over the moon when they brought out a cleanser version that contains glycolic and lactic acids!! I use this every night after a makeup remover and my skin is just loving it.

To make me even happier, they also brought out a cream! I use this on the nights that I’m not using my Liquid Gold and my skin is absolutely loving it. In fact, on a recent shoot, a model’s mother thought I was ten years younger than I actually am! I swear it’s because of my Alpha H!!!

I unearthed a bottle of Laura Mercier Moisturising Foundation at home a few weeks ago. I had completely forgotten about it and I’ve really liked the finish I get from it. I use a couple of pumps on a sponge in the mornings. It’s super quick and gives me just the coverage I’m after. I go over any blemishes and my dark circles with my Estee Lauder Double Wear Concealer.

This shampoo is a little life changing. It gets your scalp squeaky clean without leaving it itchy and my hair has been so happy! It was even suggested to me that I use it as a five minute treatment after an initial cleanse then condition. OMG! Hello volume!! I can’t live without this one! Get your Joico Daily Care Treatment Shampoo here.

I got all my hair chopped off a few weeks ago. I love how easy it is to do it now! I just put a little hair oil and a ton of Percy & Reed Texturising Spray into it. The thing I love about this spray is that I get all the curl and wave from it without the drying or stickiness. Perfect!

R xx

Currently Coveting FitFlop Pony

2013-05-30T17:18:00.001+01:00

I own two pairs of FitFlops. I’m obsessed with them. These are truly *the* most confortable shoes ever and every season they’re getting more and more stylish. For someone, like me, that is on their feet for around 12 hours a day, a shoe like this is true magnificence.

The latest FitFlop offering is The Pony. They’re sold out at the minute but I can’t wait for them to be back in stock! I am totally getting myself a pair! They’re too adorable for words.

R xx

Felicity Hayward for Volup2 Magazine

2013-05-29T12:35:00.001+01:00

The latest issue of Volup2 Magazine features the very beautiful Felicity Hayward. I had a brilliant day with a really fun team so I thought I’d share a few of the photos with you. Definitely click on the link to the magazine and have a flick through. I just love Velvet’s aesthetic and vision for her magazine. It was super interesting to hear her take on the first British Plus Size Fashion event that had just taken place and the plus size industry in general.

R xx

A Beautiful Wedding at The York and Albany

2013-04-16T08:00:00.000+01:00

I was so happy to be a part of lovely Annabel’s wedding. In fact, I’m a pretty lucky girl in that all the brides I work with are really lovely. For a bride who’s spring wedding was being coated in a thick blanket of snow, she was amazingly upbeat and calm, as well!

I’ve never been to the York and Albany before but it’s a great venue. A gorgeous English pub/hotel run by Gordon Ramsay opposite Regents Park. Just wonderful. Annabel was getting ready in one of the suites there and it was a really fun atmosphere with her Mum and friends all getting ready together.

For the run down on Annabel’s pretty makeup, keep on reading.

Skin: Une micellar water, Kiehl’s Acai toning mist, Dermalogica Skin Hydrating Booster, By Terry Gelee De Rose, Carmex lip balm.

Base: Airbase primer, Airbase foundation, Estee Lauder Ideal Light illuminator, Benefit Erase Paste concealer, Estee Lauder Lucidity loose powder.

Eyes: Benefit RSVP creaseless cream, Jemma Kidd I-Design shadows in Editor and Vintage (these are discontinued but the Stila In The Light palette has great substitutes), Estee Lauder Sepia Sand Satin, Bourjois Intense Shadows in Intense 07 & 09, Bourjois Khol & Contour Ultra Black pencil, Stila Stay All Day Smudge Stick in Damsel, Une pencil in G02. Annabel already had some lovely eyelash extensions in that we gave a light dusting of mascara to.

Brows: Benefit Brow Zing in Light.

Cheeks: Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Soft Matte Bronzer, Jemma Kidd Chic Cheeks blush in London and Paris (these are discontinued but Youngblood Crushed Mineral blush in Sherbet and Bourjois blush in 48 are great substitutes) and Cosmetics A La Carte Moonbeam powder.

Lips: Estee Lauder Rose lip liner, Bourjois lipstick in Rose Innocence a similarly toned gloss over the top (I forget the name of that one, sorry!!).

These beautiful photos were taken by Lisa Devlin and it was such a pleasure to meet her. I’m hoping I see her on another wedding very soon.

R xxx

My Favourite Cleansers Du Jour

2013-03-08T08:00:00.000Z

I love this cleanser. I have super sensitive, reactive skin and this really helps me with that. It’s almost like a lullaby for my skin. It doesn’t leave me with that dry, tight feeling but I still feel like my face has had a good clean. The directions say to use cotton pads to remove it but I like to use a face cloth that’s been soaked in warm water. I really don’t feel like I’ve cleaned my skin if I don’t use water to take it off. What I *really* want to do is use it with a Clarisonic or a Philips Visapure. As you know, I like to double cleanse in the evenings. This is my favourite for all my first step cleansing. The best bit is that it’s only £8 at Boots!

Oh Alpha H, how I love you. My life wouldn’t be complete without a cleansing oil and this is a great format as it’s kind of like a balm as well. It’s so tidy because you can squeeze it out of the tube. I still use it on a dry face with dry hands and massage it in to melt off my makeup, etc. My favourite way to use it is still after my Avene cleanser. That’s when I really feel the benefits from it. I gave a tube of this to my Mum and she absolutely loved it. Her skin can get really dehydrated and she felt like this cleansed and nourished all in one. Trust me, she’s very tricky to please with skin care so I knew it was a big deal when she messaged me specifically to say how much she loved it. You can get your Alpha H Age Delay Cleansing Oil here.

This little guy has saved my life this week. From time to time my skin just gets angry and cross and upset and no one can make it calm down again. I’ve been going through one of these phases for the last few weeks. It’s been red, broken out, erupted and reactive. It’s been such a distraction! I was introduced to Manuka Dr this week but had wanted to try it for a while. I went straight home and tried this out and my skin was instantly calmer and the spots were already flatter! All the inflammation was taken out! Magic! It has made me love bees even more. And New Zealand. Did you know that if all the bees on the earth died out that the human race would only last for four more years? In fact, I’m going to a really interesting talk about bees at the new Frenz Presents night at the Strongroom in Shoreditch. I’ll also be there to listen to some bands and have a bit of a boogie. But I’m really excited about this bee talk! Meanwhile, you can try your own little bit of bee magic by heading over to Superdrug.

Happy cleansing!

Rebecca xxx

Dr Renaud

2013-03-07T08:00:00.000Z

This week I was introduced to a brand I’ve not tried before, Dr Renaud. I’m a little bit in love already. This is another French brand that has a long history that has reached UK shores in recent times. It has a simple philosophy of using natural active ingredients in affordable formulations. I’m really excited to try some of these out on my clients. I think they’re going to love it.

My first picks are the Raspberry Cleansing Water and the Raspberry Soft Fluid. The raspberry range is targeted to keep skin very hydrated. The fragrance is to die for and I think it will be a pleasure for any of my clients to have me use on them. I’m always looking for a good cleansing water as they’re a great way to quickly remove makeup. The Soft Fluid gives skin a beautiful radiance and gorgeous texture. Did I mention how good they smell??

Wowsers! This smoothing Creme Riche from the apple range is an absolute delight. It has been formulated for dry skin that is seeing its first signs of ageing. It has a deliciously fresh, apple scent and glides on like a dream. I want to use it for my clients that have had long flights or have been burning the midnight oil and need their skin to look fresh and plump. It’s just beautiful.

Finally, this special treatment Cosmekit from the raspberry range is ace! It’s like a DIY facial kit. First you start with the exfoliating gel, then give yourself a facial massage with the balm and finally, add some water in the shaker to the sachet of powder to create a foam and relax in a mask for twenty minutes. It’s literally everything you need to give your skin a wonderful treat and leave it glowing. Next time I fly to Australia, I am totally doing this in flight!!!!

You can find Dr Renaud products in any of the new M&S Beauty Halls or on their website.

R xxx

TMRW Magazine Issue 3

2013-03-01T12:50:00.001Z

Niche magazines have always been a great love of mine and I was super excited when I got to shoot with TMRW for their third issue. It’s a men’s editorial piece with some really great outfits in it. In fact, I saw one of the suits being worn pretty much just how it was styled for this magazine at fashion week.

Lovely Natisha Greenaway took the photos and I can’t *wait* to see how the end product looks. I know she’s been doing something pretty special with the layout. Styling the shoot was Kiera Liberati. This girl is a bit of a genius with clothes and soooooo much fun to work with.

Luke from D1 was our model for the day. What a sweetie. To style his hair I went through it with some straighteners to take out some of the natural wave and then moulded it with Structure's Sculpt clay. After prepping Luke’s skin with my trusty Alpha H, I groomed and contoured him to perfection with concealer, powders and eyebrow pencils from MAC.

So issue three of TMRW is out on March 10th and you can pre-order your copy directly from the website here. Lovely Ellie Goulding is the cover girl and I’m super looking forward to reading the interview with her.

Rebecca xxx

Miss Dior–La Vie En Rose

2013-02-27T08:00:00.000Z

When I first saw this image I thought it was stunning. Then I saw the video and now I’m a little bit obsessed. Could this *be* more beautiful? I love that the liner is blue as well. Such a flattering option that lots of women are scared of. This would be a beautiful look for every day or even for a bride on her wedding day!

Rebecca xxx

Bringing Back The Glamour

2013-02-25T12:52:00.001Z

I recently got to do a lovely shoot at The Royal Horseguards Hotel in London. The photographer was Kerry Jordan and my friend, Kasia Fortuna, was styling the hair. I’d not worked with Kerry before but I’m super looking forward to doing something with her again soon. She’s so friendly and takes great pictures!

I was pretty blown away by the venue. The building is actually in two parts with tons of amazing function rooms and the other half is the actual hotel. We got to use one of the suites to prepare in and it was just lovely with beautiful views.

When it came to the makeup, we really wanted to go with a very glamorous look that would be in keeping with the venue. Even though we wanted that glamour, I feel like we kept it very bridal at the same time. There is nothing worse than a bride that looks like she’s going out for a night on the pull!

For both girls, I created flawless bases with my trusty Airbase airbrushing kit. When it comes to weddings, I really do love this system. In fact, the rest of my day was pretty lazy seeing as I didn’t need to keep a check on any shine or touch ups. Any extra concealing was done with Benefit Erase Paste and under eye highlighting was a breeze with Estee Lauder Ideal Light. To be extra sure that the foundation stayed in place and was shine free, I dusted some Benefit Hello Flawless powder over the top. Highlighting was achieved with Cosmetics A La Carte Moonbeam.

Kylie (the top pic) has a wonderful eye colour that picks up light in the most amazing way. To make the most of that, I went with a rather unusual colour for a bride when it came to her eye shadow. I used my Clinique Chubby Sticks For Eyes in Whopping Willow and Fuller Fudge then my Stila In The Light palette to blend and set the pencils into place. From there, I lined the eyes with Maybelline Lasting Drama Gel Liner in black gold. I’m not sure if this colour is still available, but I love how the gold that’s shot through the black helps to make the look softer than regular black liner. I popped a few Ardell medium black individual lashes on the outer corners of Kylie’s eyes. She has *insanely* long lashes! They’re stunning! Then I used Bourjois bronzer and followed up with blushers in 38 and 95. On her lips we went for Revlon Colourstay lip colour in Stellar Sunrise layered under Benefit My Treat lipstick.

For Emma, we were slightly more traditional with the colours we used but no less glamorous. To get a great base for her eyes, I went with one of my old favourites, Benefit Creaseless Cream in RSVP. Over that I used Cosmetics A La Carte Eye Define shadow in Petal, Bourjois Intense 07 and Ombre 74 shadows, Givenchy Prisme Again quartet in Purple Emotion (discontinued) and Estee Lauder Pure Colour in Smokey Embers. Having lined Emma’s lashes with my black gold gel liner, I added on a set of Ardell Demi Wispie lashes. For Bronzer we warmed up the complexion with Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Matte Bronzer then gave the cheeks colour with a combination of Bourjois Blush 95 and Youngblood Sherbet. It was Bourjois all the way again for the lips with Rose Innocence lipstick underneath Rose Chimeric 3D Effect lip gloss.

You can see all of Kerry’s photos from the day here and more of my bridal images here.

Rebecca xxx

LFW AW13 David Koma

2013-02-22T08:00:00.000Z

The David Koma show was another one that Stila made up all the gorgeous models for. There was more of the 90’s vibe just like at the PPQ show only this was a little more lived in and grungy. For me, the star of the show was the new Stila skincare.

When you have five models turn up late and you have two people on makeup, four on hair and a nail artist at work, you need products that are quick and effective. Plus, one poor model was actually in tears while her backcombed extensions got brushed out and straightened. She was so grateful for the Stila makeup remover wipes and the Face The Day Multi Use Gel Cream. The light texture was perfect for her sensitive skin and the light fragrance really cheered her up.

To create the look, we started by working black Smudge Pot into the roots of the lashes and then drew a line of Sequins liquid liner over the top of that. We didn’t take the liner all the way to the inner corner and the outer corner followed the natural lash line into a sharp point. It *wasn’t* a kitten flick, though. Just a straight line. Then we dropped three individual lashes into the centre of the lash line and put loads of Glamour Eyes mascara on. The bottom lash line was super clean and we painted some mascara onto the bottom as well. From there we created flawless bases using the Stay All Day foundation and concealers. For that lived in look, we didn’t do too much concealing under the eyes. Brows were filled in using the Stay All Day Brow Pen and brushed up. Camellia Convertible Colour came in handy again when we coated the lips with it and used what was left on our fingers to give the high point of the cheek a little colour.

You can see the whole show here…

Check out those shoes! Impressive, no? The girls were so worried about walking in them before the show but I think they did an amazing job.

R xxx

LFW AW13 PPQ

2013-02-20T10:57:00.001Z

LFW is over for another season and I’m coming back to reality with a thud. It’s such an exciting part of the year and this season I was a very lucky girl. I got to be part of the Stila team.

Our first show was PPQ and I got to make up the amazing Chloe Norgaard.

You can see some of the show here…

This look was all about the eyes and the brows. Skin was perfected with Stay All Day foundation and concealer. Cheeks and lips were given a subtle colour with Camellia convertible colour. The upper and lower waterlines were given a rough coating of Stingray Stay All Day Smudge Stick then softened using the black and brown shadows from the In The Know palette. Loads of Glamour Eyes mascara was painted on for full lashes. The brows were filled in using the Stay All Day Waterproof Brow Colour and then given their arched shape using the black and brown shadows from the In The Know Palette.

This is definitely a look that anyone can achieve and is super wearable all year round.

R xxx

Soho House Wedding

2013-02-11T08:00:00.000Z

This was one of my absolute favourite weddings to ever work on. It was so much fun and so relaxed! It helped that my friends Mariam Jensen and Cass Rizzuto were there as well. Mariam was doing the bride, Maddi, and I was looking after her two sisters, her Mum and the mother of the groom. We got the girls ready in a suite at The Soho Hotel and Ed Peers took all the lovely photos. The wedding had been styled out by Charley from London Bride and she did a beautiful job. The details and special touches really made the event super stylish.

I was on a bit of a tight timeframe to get all four people ready but Cass and I managed to get everyone done with loads of time to spare which meant the day was even more chilled out and relaxed. I think it helped that I was using my Airbase kit to do everyone’s foundation and then used a variation on the same theme of colours for all four girls. They all liked the same types of looks and colours so I just made small changes as far as how smokey the eyes were or if they needed a little more colour on their lips.

The bits that I used the most on the day?

Airbase airbrush foundations
Benefit Hello Flawless powder compact
Estee Lauder Lucidity loose powder
Benefit Creaseless Cream in RSVP and Skinny Jeans
Stila In The Light shadow palette
Bourjois shadows in Intense 07 and 09
JK Jemma Kidd shadow in Vintage
Pencils: Une G02, Bourjois 16 Hour Ultra Black, Stila Smudge Stick Damsel
Bourjois Delice de Soleil 12
JK Jemma Kidd Chic Cheeks in Paris and London
Bourjois 3D lip glosses

You can see some of my other bridal work and images on my website here.

Rebecca xxx