August Update!

August has been a busy and fun month aside from the appalling summer weather!

My mum and I enjoyed some pre-wedding pampering ahead of her wedding in September organised by me - self designated matron of honour! We had a fabulous fashionista's afternoon tea at The Berkeley Hotel with friends after a fantastic manicure and pedicure in the spa!  

Mum and I also enjoyed a few days in the rainy Cotswolds,  just as well we stayed at a relaxing Spa Hotel as the weather was awful.  We highly recommend Dormy House in Broadway (dormyhouse.co.uk) and had a super fun time!

August is always a busy month of shoots and weddings for me but I certainly can't complain : )

Some pic's below:

I made some hen favour party bags for all the gorgeous ladies attending including marshmallows, crystal pencils, heart note pads, heart chocolates, prosecco, Beatrix Potter loose tea, scented drawer liners, nail files and bubbles!

Bride to be! My gorgeous mum X

 Fabulous Afternoon tea at The Berkeley hotel.

 The cotswolds...

Another afternoon tea, however this was the best I have ever had in a tea room. (Lucy's Tearoom, Stow-on-the Wold).

A couple of my recent stunning brides....

Sarah,

www.rubielovephotography.co.uk

Yen,

www.cdouglasphoto.com

Our extension is now almost complete and worth it, I think!

All Make-up enquiries via www.nikimakeup.co.uk

My top tips for applying lip liner!

So you have the perfect lip liner now how best to apply it?

Lip pencils will help lipstick not to bleed over the natural lip edge, keeps lipstick in place longer as well as adding definition to your lips which unfortunately becomes even more necessary as we age!

Always use a freshly sharpened pencil for best results, I tend to warm the pencil tip in the centre of my palm before application so that the pencil glides onto the lips comfortably and smoothly without dragging.

Begin applying pencil to the centre of your upper lip first then to the centre of the bottom lip finally joining up the outer corners.

If you are looking to create a strongly defined lip you are best to apply your lipstick colour first then fill in and define the lip line with an 'ever so slightly darker' lip pencil afterwards.

For a natural look or to give a good lip base for lipcolour to adhere to it is ideal to fill in the entire lip with pencil prior to applying lipstick.

For best results work in short, light feathery strokes with the pencil rather than pressing too hard and trying to draw a solid line. This technique also makes it easier to slightly overdraw the lip line if you are looking to create a fuller lipped look.

Again, for a natural look either match the pencil to your natural lip tone or to the natural lipstick colour you have chosen.

When using strong or bright colours match the lipstick colour to the lip pencil shade. Apply pencil before bold colours for best results and then touch up the edges if necessary after the lipstick is applied.  You can also tidy up imperfect edges with a cotton bud (the pointed ones are best) dipped in a little eye makeup remover or a little concealer or foundation on a brush.

Opt for pencils in shades of light pink, brown and nude to make lips appear fuller as darker shades of plum, brown and berry may make lips appear smaller.

My Top ten favourite lip liners!

These are the most popular lip pencils I have in my kit that I find suit most people.

I am particularly loving my new Rubywoo addition from MAC.  This pencil compliment's the iconic popular lipstick in the same shade.

Kiko pencils are affordable, available in a great array of colours and stay on well.

My current obsession is Bobbi Brown's Ballet pink, a beautiful shade of light pink with just the right amount of colour!

Charlotte Tilbury lip pencils are divine and super long wearing, MAC are all "oldies but goodies" and Boots No.7 nude is also a good staple in my kit.

1. Boots No.7 nude (nude brown)
2. Charlotte Tilbury pillow talk (nude pink)
3. Charlotte Tilbury iconic nude (nude brown)
4. MAC Subculture (nude pink)
5. MAC Dervish (pink)
6. MAC Oak (nude brown)
7. MAC Rubywoo (strong red)
8. Bobbi Brown Ballet Pink (natural pink)
9. Kiko Smart liner 703 (coral)
10. Kiko smart liner 702 (natural red)

I hope this helps you in finding the right shade!

Happy shopping get in touch if you have any questions

Next up on my blog my top tips for applying lip liners.  Watch this space....

Niki X

Bridal Make-up for Kym.

On April 25th I was lucky enough to do wedding make-up for beautiful Kim, her two lovely bridesmaid's and adorable flower girl at Tewinbury Farm Hotel. 

For Kim's bridal make-up we created an effortlessly natural look in keeping with her relaxed and informal wedding style. To achieve this look I used a lightweight foundation form Kiko cosmetics, Bobbi Brown concealer, MAC eyeshadows in neutral shades, Bobbi Brown gel eyeliner in black, Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow, MAC lipliner in Subculture and MAC Brave lipstick. To complete the look I applied some individual natural eyelashes from Ardell. 

Kim was really fun to work with and I was so pleased to be a part of her special day.

Kim's testimonial...

"Niki is wonderful, so lovely, warming and welcoming. The trial at her home set the tone for the make up look I wanted on the day, and she altered things as I wanted because what I initially thought would suit me really didn't. So accomodating and helpful with tips on what to buy / use before the big day. I have never looked so flawless in my life and I have acne scarring and pigmentation. This woman is a genius. Also my bridesmaids, who both hated the thought of having their faces touched and done up by someone else, were both at ease with your calming presence and absolutely loved their make up. My sister never wears makeup and finds it hard to pick anything due to her red hair and fair skin but you matched her perfectly on the day without even needing a trial, she said she's never felt so pretty!!!

I just personally wanted to say a massive thank you for doing my makeup on our wedding day. Your calming presence in the morning was just what I needed and your advice in between my trial and the big day was so appreciated! I cannot praise the end results enough, you made me feel so beautiful but still like myself. I still looked fresh after a night of partying with the band and being spun around within an inch of my life on our finale song… and not a single eyelash fell off!"

All enquiries via www.nikimakeup.co.uk

All photography courtesy of www.mikiphotography.info