December Update!

Apologies I am a few days late with my December Update but I am easing back into work a bit slower than usual after slowing down over Christmas! I have enjoyed such a lovely long Christmas and New Year break down in Cornwall with family and friends.  It was so good to all be together even though things still were not quite "normal".  We were flow testing daily, no hugging and kissing outside our bubble, keeping distance as much as we could, limiting time with different family members and we even missed a new year party but it was perfect all the same just a bit different to the norm'!

Below are a few of my snaps. 

My pooches always love opening Christmas presents too, they are twelve and fourteen now never too old!

We enjoyed so many lovely dog walks.

Fowey, is definitely a new favourite of mine.

My Homemade Christmas pud goes down well every year.

Beautiful St Ives

Marazion

But now it's back to it! 2022 is a busy year for Weddings, I have almost 60 booked already this year. I spent yesterday contacting March-May brides to arrange pre-wedding trials.  Brides after May will be contacted next week.  I cannot wait to meet everyone! I have my brand new garden studio all set up and ready to start working in so I am super excited. If you are getting married this year and reading this do book your suppliers sooner rather than later as it unusually busy due to the pandemic.  I do still have availability this year and I am also taking bookings for 2023.

Wishing you all a very Happy & Healthy 2022!

X

All Enquiries via www.nikimakeup.co.uk

April Update!

I have actually been enjoying lockdown having time to just slow down has been so lovely!  Aside from the small fact of not earning any money being freelance I am enjoying the time to be more mindful.
I have realised just how busy I am and how much I rush around. From now on I aim to actually just do less, venture out less to have more time! I have read two book's in a week and am now on a third, something I never have time do except on holiday usually.
I am also using the slower pace to catch up on the thing's that I love to do that usually take a back seat, like my passion for art.  I have started with some therapeutic pebble painting which certainly helped me to entertain myself over the long easter weekend.
I have begun meditating most days, enjoyed cycling with my husband which has made me feel like a kid again as I haven't cycled in years! I also have a new found love of jazz music!
With the weather being mostly glorious I have taken full advantage of being able to spend time outside in the garden and enjoy beautiful daily countryside dog walks.  The spring flowers have been absolutely stunning his year.

Mum surprised us with a lovely arrival of flowers for Easter.
https://www.lambertsflowercompany.co.uk



I actually had two Hotel Chocolate easter egg's as well but I gobbled these too quickly for photos!

Work wise, 2021 is looking very busy now as a lot of this year's brides have re-scheduled their dates to next year plus I have also been taking new booking's. I am keeping myself very busy blogging, painting, training, and doing accounts and website updates.

Have you started anything new during Lockdown? I would love to know!

Niki x

All Bridal and Shoot enquiries via nikimakeup@aol.com

www.nikimakeup.co.uk

Friday Fave! MAC Brush Cleanser

MAC BRUSH CLEANSER

This cleanser will clean and condition your makeup brushes.

It is quick and easy to use and will extend the life of your brushes if used regularly and correctly.

This cleanser leaves brushes smelling fresh and clean fast.

To use simply apply a little cleanser to the brush hairs/fibres or onto a paper towel and then gently sweep the brush backwards and forwards until there is no more makeup residue.

Always leave brushes to dry with the brush head over hanging a surface so that air can circulate the head.







£12.50 235ml.
www.maccosmetics.co.uk

March Update!

On the 24th February my husband and I headed off to sunny Barbados to celebrate our recent 40th birthday's.  We had such an amazing time, our first visit to the Caribbean and hopefully not our last. We retuned to England on the 8th March to an increasingly worrying COVID-19 situation in the UK.
It is a very difficult and worrying time for all of us at the moment.  I have lost all of my work for the next few months at least.  I also had to cancel my Mothers Day Makeup workshop due to the situation which was very disappointing for me.  I am however keeping busy with work that I often think about doing that I never have time to do, like 'Supplier Saturday' blog posts which will be starting on Saturday April 4th.  I have wanted to do this Q&A style blog post with other wedding suppliers for some years now but I never had the time to prioritise it.  This week I have written up five of these posts already with more to come!

Beautiful Barbados!  Happier times...







The Caribbean Sunsets were stunning to watch every day with a sundowner or two!



Getting in touch with nature, switching off and relaxing was wonderful although most of the good has now been undone on my return home!



Our hotel was near to a racetrack, early in the morning they bathe the horses in the sea after training. We got up at 6am to walk to the beach to see this, it was definitely worth it!



Rihanna's home where she grew up! A visit had to be done thanks to ours taxi driver.



The view from Cherry Tree Hill after a visit to St Nicholas Abbey.
https://www.stnicholasabbey.com



We stayed at https://sugarbaybarbados.com and highly recommend.

I retuned to England a week before the social distancing began.  I managed to meet a few lovely Brides for their trials before having to sadly stop doing trials altogether.









Testing out the face mask before clients! It is hard as Beauticians, Makeup Artists, Hairstylists and Manicurists as it is impossible to adhere to a two metres distance apart rule. Sufficed to say I had one VIP client, a Bride and then I downed tools... after sanitising my entire kit obsessively!




Kit essentials!
1. MAC Brush cleanser.
2. Isopropyl Alcohol
3. Hand Sanitiser




A new Kit essential item to sanitise my tools, note the gloves! For my last job I wore a mask and gloves as a precaution as I have asthma.  It was interesting having to work in this way and I wonder if this could become more the norm' now in the future.



Bridal Makeup for Rachel www.nikimakeup.co.uk
Wedding Hair www.hairbyjaydean.com



Saturday 21st March was my last wedding for a while, it went ahead despite the odds and with a lot of changes but Bride Rachel was stress free and enjoyed her day.



My vanity station in my home studio is redundant for a while so it has now become another work space as my husband, also working from home has taken over my office desk!



For the foreseeable future I will be working in isolation at home...



For all enquiries please contact nikimakeup@aol.com
www.nikimakeup.com
www.nikimakeup.co.uk

December Update!

December has whizzed by far too quickly much like the rest of this year as indeed life as we get older it appears!...

I have had a busy month of shoots unexpectedly many of which were rather last minute most involved travelling, I have been working in Oxford, Peterborough, Cambridge and London which has been really nice!



I have brought lots of new kit additions this month including my new hair kit bag which I love! It is so lightweight holding all my hair tools, products, grips, clips and pins available at   https://www.salon-services.com



I have met some gorgeous 2020 Brides for makeup trials ahead of their weddings.  Availability next year is now very limited, please do get in touch to check if your wedding date is free sooner rather than later to avoid disappointment and be aware that a booking deposit is essential to secure your wedding date.  There will also be a price increase in January 2020 book this year to secure 2019 rates!
See www.nikimakeup.co.uk for testimonials, pricing and full portfolio.



Both of these brides wanted beautifully natural glowy bridal makeup, what I do best! You but better!



I enjoyed a lovely family Christmas lunch in Balthazar covent Garden, London was looking gorgeously festive.  https://balthazarlondon.com

My last Christmas 2019 Winter weddings were at Coltsfoot Country retreat and Hanbury Manor

Braided curls and defined eyes for Jess at www.coltsfoot.com





Holy wood waves and smokey eyes for Sally at www.hanburymanor.co.uk



Charlotte Tilbury liked my Instagram post @nikimakeup









Obligatory Lipstick tree decoration!



I love Christmas and every year we get a real Christmas tree mostly because I love the smell and all the fun of going to choose it.



I made a Christmas cake this year I hope it tastes good!!



Niki Makeup HQ