I was recently given some training on the Hissyfit range so I thought I would share with you a little information about the products.
Created in Australia, by Australian Olympic Gold Medallist Louise Dobson and magazine editor Sue Smethurst. Neither could find a foundation that offered maximum sun protection so they created their own. The Hissyfit range is now available at Urban Retreat, Harrods, London.
This unique range offers products for the face, body, hands and lips, providing sun protection, skin care and make-up all in one! The fantastic 3-in-1 benefits include *Mineral beauty *SPF50 and *Anti-ageing skincare. Vogue Australia says... "It's the holy grail of make-up".
Products include....'Saving face', a super smart 3-in-1 foundation offering broad spectrum protection SPF 50, flawless coverage and anti-aging botanical extracts. Contains a blend of mineral powders and natural sunscreens. You can choose from eight carefully selected shades to match every skintone (nude, light, sand, medium, fresh, rich, latte, and mocha).
'Body double', a body lotion that pampers with a 'couture' fragrance, intensely hydrates and protects the skin as well as fighting the effects of environmental aging. Contains SPF 30+ and UVA/UVB protection.
'Handy work', is a personal favourite! An anti-aging hand cream that uses botanical extracts and broad spectrum protection SPF 30+ to fight the visible signs of aging, whilst intensely hydrating.
'Lip service', I adore this glossy lip balm, it offers anti-aging SPF 50 + UVA/UVB protection, whilst moisturisng the lips using shea butter, jojoba oil and vitamin E. Available in four great shades including berry, guava, plum, and toffee plus a clear shade. I have been using the clear over my favourite lip colour to add protection, shine and nourishment to my lips and I must say it feels and looks great!
Products are paraben free and water-resistant. Prices are also very reasonable with all products under £25.00.
See www.hissyfit.com for more information.
Sunday, 9 May 2010
Friday, 30 April 2010
IN THE NEWS: FOUNDATION /BASE BRUSH
FOUNDATION/BASE BRUSH:
This brush is made from synthetic hair and suitable for use with the majority of cream/liquid based cosmetic products as it is easy to clean afterwards. For hygiene reasons this brush should be cleaned after every use as foundation for example will 'go off' on the brush overnight. Use a shampoo and warm water or a professional brush cleaner, after you have cleaned the brush leave it to air dry on the edge of a surface so that air is able to circulate the entire brush head.
Apply foundation to the tip of the brush only, there is no need to apply foundation to the entire brush head. Begin by applying foundation to the centre of the face nose, forehead and chin using the brush to blend the product outwards evenly towards the hairline, you generally need a little more coverage in the central parts of the face. I mostly opt for a dampended brush to apply foundation as it makes the brush easier to control.
Use the brush to blend the foundation until you can see no visible strips of colour. When applying product to the brush do not rub the brush into the product, apply a minimal amount of make-up to the brush tip and apply a little to the face at a time. Keep adding more product and blending until you achieve the desired coverage you are looking for. This is great because you can achieve a very natural coverage or a heavy duty coverage depending on how you use the brush to control the product. When applying the make-up use a firm yet gentle pressure to control the application. If the end result appears to thick and heavy, you have either applied to much product to the brush or simply added too much not knowing when to finish. Use only the tiniest amount of foundation at a time to see a difference, less really is more!
A foundation or base brush as they are sometimes known can also be used to apply other cream and liquid products as well as simply foundation. I often use them to apply cream or liquid blushers as well as liquid bronzers and highlighters. This brush is also ideal for applying body make-up, perhaps a highlighter across the decolletage or concealing a scar or tattoo with cover-up make-up.
Foundation brushes may not always be convenient to everybody for every day use in our often hectic and busy lifestyles, however they are certainly worth using for a great night out or a special occasion. Using a brush to apply foundation results in a flawless and an ultra long-lasting finish to your make-up. As with all make-up brushes invest in one and look after it and it will last you a very long time.
Friday, 9 April 2010
Beauty Tips: Bridal Make-up
Beauty Tips-Bridal Make-up:
Create a “timeless” look with your bridal make-up. Ideally it should be a little stronger than you are used to wearing. You still want to look like ‘you’ although you want to look at your absolute best and have wonderful photographs to prove it.
Whether you have opted to hire a Professional Make-up Artist for the day or have chosen to apply your own make-up it is worth having a trial run at least one month before the wedding. This gives you plenty of time to make sure you are happy. If you are looking for a Make-up Artist, it is often good to go on recommendation from a friend or search the internet and choose after seeing the artists work and previous experience.
Product tips:
Invest in a primer. It keeps make-up in place all day. A silicone-based primer will even smooth out fine lines and open pores to achieve a flawless look. A great example of this is Daniel Sandler Retexturising face primer £20, Urban Retreat Harrods.
Use waterproof mascara to avoid any smudges or mascara running disasters. I recommend MAC Splash-proof mascara £10.50.www.maccosmetics.com
Opt for an eye-base before applying eye-colour, it will keep eye-shadow fresh all day and prevent colour creasing. I like Laura Mercier Eye Basics £18.00 Space N.K
Powder using a translucent compact, this will set the make-up. Translucent will not change the colour of your chosen foundation. Keep a compact with you during the day for touch-ups and to remain shine-free in your important photographs.
Choose waterproof/long-wear products wherever possible to ensure your make-up lasts well into the evening.
Make-up tips:
Choose a lip colour one or two shades deeper than your natural lip-colour to show in your photographs.
Always try the make-up in good light, natural daylight is best and try to wear light clothing similar to that of your dress to reflect the make-up at its best.
When applying eye make-up use a lighter colour on the majority of the lid and a deeper shade in the socket line to define and open the eyes. I would experiment with shades of taupe and brown.
To brighten eyes use a dot of highlighter at the inner and outer corner as well as under the arch of the brow, to make the eyes look bigger add a white eyeliner to the inside rim of the eye.
See Niki’s Bridal Make-up examples at www.nikimakeup.co.uk
Create a “timeless” look with your bridal make-up. Ideally it should be a little stronger than you are used to wearing. You still want to look like ‘you’ although you want to look at your absolute best and have wonderful photographs to prove it.
Whether you have opted to hire a Professional Make-up Artist for the day or have chosen to apply your own make-up it is worth having a trial run at least one month before the wedding. This gives you plenty of time to make sure you are happy. If you are looking for a Make-up Artist, it is often good to go on recommendation from a friend or search the internet and choose after seeing the artists work and previous experience.
Product tips:
Invest in a primer. It keeps make-up in place all day. A silicone-based primer will even smooth out fine lines and open pores to achieve a flawless look. A great example of this is Daniel Sandler Retexturising face primer £20, Urban Retreat Harrods.
Use waterproof mascara to avoid any smudges or mascara running disasters. I recommend MAC Splash-proof mascara £10.50.www.maccosmetics.com
Opt for an eye-base before applying eye-colour, it will keep eye-shadow fresh all day and prevent colour creasing. I like Laura Mercier Eye Basics £18.00 Space N.K
Powder using a translucent compact, this will set the make-up. Translucent will not change the colour of your chosen foundation. Keep a compact with you during the day for touch-ups and to remain shine-free in your important photographs.
Choose waterproof/long-wear products wherever possible to ensure your make-up lasts well into the evening.
Make-up tips:
Choose a lip colour one or two shades deeper than your natural lip-colour to show in your photographs.
Always try the make-up in good light, natural daylight is best and try to wear light clothing similar to that of your dress to reflect the make-up at its best.
When applying eye make-up use a lighter colour on the majority of the lid and a deeper shade in the socket line to define and open the eyes. I would experiment with shades of taupe and brown.
To brighten eyes use a dot of highlighter at the inner and outer corner as well as under the arch of the brow, to make the eyes look bigger add a white eyeliner to the inside rim of the eye.
See Niki’s Bridal Make-up examples at www.nikimakeup.co.uk
Monday, 1 March 2010
Beauty hygiene tips:
Are you guilty of holding on to your favourite cosmetic and using it until the bitter end? Do you own a cracked broken compact? Using an old dried out mascara? Own an embarassing dirty make-up bag? If any of these sound familiar you might like to read on…
Clean make-up brushes and beautifying tools such as eyelash curlers and tweezers with an antibacterial hand wash/shampoo and warm water. Place some cleaning product in the palm of your hand, hold each brush under warm water then work bristles into the cleaning product until the brush is free of all make-up. Rinse and shape the brush so the hairs are not splayed, dry on the edge of a work surface so the air can circulate the brush head.
Sponges and puffs can be cleaned in the same way. Regularly clean make-up bags with a household cleaner and sponge or if suitable place in a washing machine. Foundation, concealer, cream blush and lip brushes should be cleaned after every use. Make-up will “go off” on brushes over night. For speed, invest in a brush cleanser which you can use daily. Pour onto a paper towel and gently wipe your make-up brush through until clean. I recommend MAC Brush Cleanser £8.00.
Never share cosmetics or brushes this transmits bacteria and can cause infections. Keep cosmetics in a dry area away from direct sunlight/heat as this will breed bacteria and lessen the products shelf life. If you want to help products last longer a great tip is to keep any cream/liquid cosmetics in a refrigerator. See the published shelf life printed onto the back of all beauty products. The product will show a small symbol of an open jar with a number i.e. ‘12M’ showing how many months until the product expires. Use common sense if something doesn’t look or smell right throw it away.
Below is a general guide to the shelf life of products:
Mascara 3-6 months: Mascara has the shortest shelf life as bacteria live in our lashes so the moment the mascara wand touches the lashes, bacteria is transferred to the product tube or to the other eye. Bacteria thrive in dark warm environments, within six months a mascara tube will be over run with bacteria.
Concealer: 6-12 months.
Gel/liquid liners: 12-18 months.
Foundation: Up to 12 months for water based/oil free as these tend to dry out quicker and up to 18 months for oil/silicone based.
Creams: (blushers/highlighters/shadows) 12-18 months
Lipsticks and glosses: 1-2 years
Powders: (blusher/bronzer/face powder) 2 years
Eye shadows: Up to 3 years
Eye and lip pencils: Up to 3 years
Clean make-up brushes and beautifying tools such as eyelash curlers and tweezers with an antibacterial hand wash/shampoo and warm water. Place some cleaning product in the palm of your hand, hold each brush under warm water then work bristles into the cleaning product until the brush is free of all make-up. Rinse and shape the brush so the hairs are not splayed, dry on the edge of a work surface so the air can circulate the brush head.
Sponges and puffs can be cleaned in the same way. Regularly clean make-up bags with a household cleaner and sponge or if suitable place in a washing machine. Foundation, concealer, cream blush and lip brushes should be cleaned after every use. Make-up will “go off” on brushes over night. For speed, invest in a brush cleanser which you can use daily. Pour onto a paper towel and gently wipe your make-up brush through until clean. I recommend MAC Brush Cleanser £8.00.
Never share cosmetics or brushes this transmits bacteria and can cause infections. Keep cosmetics in a dry area away from direct sunlight/heat as this will breed bacteria and lessen the products shelf life. If you want to help products last longer a great tip is to keep any cream/liquid cosmetics in a refrigerator. See the published shelf life printed onto the back of all beauty products. The product will show a small symbol of an open jar with a number i.e. ‘12M’ showing how many months until the product expires. Use common sense if something doesn’t look or smell right throw it away.
Below is a general guide to the shelf life of products:
Mascara 3-6 months: Mascara has the shortest shelf life as bacteria live in our lashes so the moment the mascara wand touches the lashes, bacteria is transferred to the product tube or to the other eye. Bacteria thrive in dark warm environments, within six months a mascara tube will be over run with bacteria.
Concealer: 6-12 months.
Gel/liquid liners: 12-18 months.
Foundation: Up to 12 months for water based/oil free as these tend to dry out quicker and up to 18 months for oil/silicone based.
Creams: (blushers/highlighters/shadows) 12-18 months
Lipsticks and glosses: 1-2 years
Powders: (blusher/bronzer/face powder) 2 years
Eye shadows: Up to 3 years
Eye and lip pencils: Up to 3 years
Saturday, 13 February 2010
Beauty tips Spring / summer 2010
Spring clean your make-up bag! It is time to chuck out the foundation, ditch the powder blusher and bury the black eyeliner.
Fashion Update:
The new spring/summer looks include:
-Red intense lips
-A fresh illuminated face
-Delicate pastel eyes
-Bold bright colours
A word on colour:
Be inspired by strong spring colours….think bluebells, buttercups and roses….Pastel colours are back, choose from a wide array of lilacs, lavenders, soft pinks and peaches. However, the hottest colour for spring/summer 2010 is Turquoise. A colour that most people respond to positively. It is universally flattering, has appeal for men and women, and translates easily to fashion. Other spring/summer colours include eighties inspired bright candy pinks and oranges.
Nails:
If you are drawn to a colour but don’t feel confident wearing it on your face, wear it on your nails instead! Choose from bright pinks, corals, blues, greens, lavenders or softer pastel shades.
I recommend applying O.P.I Start to Finish Base and Topcoat for outstanding shine and longwearing colour.
Splurge:Chanel Le Vernis: 507 tendresse /orange fizz (peachy shades, £16).
Steal: Essie have great spring shades including tart deco, neo whimsical, mint candy apple and lilacism (£9.00).
Highly recommended: Barry M (In Style Beauty awards winner of ‘Best inexpensive Nail polish Range 2009’). Choose from mint green, fuchsia, pink flamingo, and acid yellow (£2.95)
Cheeks:
Keep cheeks fresh and youthful by opting for shades of coral. If you like defined cheekbones you can use a little bronzing powder under the cheekbone to sculpt. Apply blusher to the apples of the cheeks. Use fingertips to blend, pat the colour gently, never rub! Choose cream or liquid blusher to achieve a natural summer glow. I recommend Daniel Sandler water colour blusher £11.00 Lover (bright pink) and spicey (peach). Available at Harrods Urban Retreat. I love
Bobbi Brown Pot rouge for lips and cheeks (Winner of the Instyle beauty award for ‘Best cream Blusher 2010’) Shade: Cabo coral £16.50 Cabana corals Collection achieves a great peachy fresh glow. For a shimmering “wow factor” dust a little Bobbi Brown Nectar shimmer brick onto face and décolletage (£29) to complete your look.
Lips:
For a bright pout go for a matte red. I like MAC Ruby Woo Lipstick £12.50. Apply a similar shade of lip pencil to create a perfect lip. It is easier to draw with a lip pencil if you brush a little concealer over the edges of the lips beforehand to define the lips.
For a natural lip, try new Givenchy Printed Lips in shade ‘Pink Impression’. This felt tip pen creates perfectly drawn lips that are hydrated and tinted with healthy radiance (Limited edition £16). I also recommend Bobbi brown’s new eye and lip palette (£48), this set contains a set of modern wearable fresh coral shades.
Base:
The spring/summer look is all about keeping skin looking natural, glowy and radiantly sun kissed. Skin should look illuminated. I recommend using Laura Mercier tinted Bronzing gel or a tinted moisturizer. Next apply a little concealer with a synthetic hair brush where you need a little extra coverage. Always apply concealer after using a tinted moisturizer as you want to be very precise for a flawless finish. Go very lightly on the powder. I like to use a little MAC Mineralise skinfinish natural pressed powder available in 8 shades £18.Keep make-up ultra fresh by using Evian mist (available at Boots) this will fix make-up in place and achieve a dewy finish. Compliment this look with great eyelashes achieved using metal eyelash curlers. Hold curlers in place for about twenty seconds, I like to pulse them a little as well by simply gently releasing every few seconds. Find a mascara that suits your lashes and apply two or three coats. I adore the new Givenchy Phenomen Eyes Mascara which has an innovative new design (spherical brush) which reaches everywhere to achieve spectacular results (£23). For those on a budget try a similar Loreal telescopic Explosion Mascara (£9.99).
Eyes:
Always apply an eye base/primer to the eyelids before eye shadow to keep eye make-up fresh and crease resistant all day long. My firm favourite is MAC Eye paint in Untitled.
I like to think there are no rules with make-up but having said that if you have green eyes generally lilacs and pinks look great, blue eyes usually suit corals and bronzes and brown eyes look good in most colours, particularly green.
For a natural look sweep a pastel shade over the lid blending into the eye socket. Team with a fresh pink or soft coral on the lips and cheeks for a pretty day look. I like Daniel Sandler Eye shadow 5A15 (pastel turquoise) £10. If you love the new bright colours at the moment apply the colour over the lid and blend well in to the eye socket. Brush a slightly lighter shade over the edges of the brighter colour to achieve a well blended professional finish. I love MAC Eye shadow Aquadisiac (£11.00). Barry M Dazzle dust in teal and yellow (£4.50) are also great bargain buys. If you are worried about wearing a bright shadow try using a bright colour as an eye liner along the lash line to get a hint of the shade. Choose either a gel or pencil or opt for eye shadow applied with an angled brush (I like Mac #266 brush). If you have time apply a wash of a lighter colour on the lid. For example a bright turquoise liner works well with a softer version of the same shade on the lid blended well into the socket.
In need of a little extra help then why not book a personal/group make-up lesson with me and save 20% when you mention my blog!
Niki Stannett Freelance Make-up Artist
www.nikimakeup.com
Spring clean your make-up bag! It is time to chuck out the foundation, ditch the powder blusher and bury the black eyeliner.
Fashion Update:
The new spring/summer looks include:
-Red intense lips
-A fresh illuminated face
-Delicate pastel eyes
-Bold bright colours
A word on colour:
Be inspired by strong spring colours….think bluebells, buttercups and roses….Pastel colours are back, choose from a wide array of lilacs, lavenders, soft pinks and peaches. However, the hottest colour for spring/summer 2010 is Turquoise. A colour that most people respond to positively. It is universally flattering, has appeal for men and women, and translates easily to fashion. Other spring/summer colours include eighties inspired bright candy pinks and oranges.
Nails:
If you are drawn to a colour but don’t feel confident wearing it on your face, wear it on your nails instead! Choose from bright pinks, corals, blues, greens, lavenders or softer pastel shades.
I recommend applying O.P.I Start to Finish Base and Topcoat for outstanding shine and longwearing colour.
Splurge:Chanel Le Vernis: 507 tendresse /orange fizz (peachy shades, £16).
Steal: Essie have great spring shades including tart deco, neo whimsical, mint candy apple and lilacism (£9.00).
Highly recommended: Barry M (In Style Beauty awards winner of ‘Best inexpensive Nail polish Range 2009’). Choose from mint green, fuchsia, pink flamingo, and acid yellow (£2.95)
Cheeks:
Keep cheeks fresh and youthful by opting for shades of coral. If you like defined cheekbones you can use a little bronzing powder under the cheekbone to sculpt. Apply blusher to the apples of the cheeks. Use fingertips to blend, pat the colour gently, never rub! Choose cream or liquid blusher to achieve a natural summer glow. I recommend Daniel Sandler water colour blusher £11.00 Lover (bright pink) and spicey (peach). Available at Harrods Urban Retreat. I love
Bobbi Brown Pot rouge for lips and cheeks (Winner of the Instyle beauty award for ‘Best cream Blusher 2010’) Shade: Cabo coral £16.50 Cabana corals Collection achieves a great peachy fresh glow. For a shimmering “wow factor” dust a little Bobbi Brown Nectar shimmer brick onto face and décolletage (£29) to complete your look.
Lips:
For a bright pout go for a matte red. I like MAC Ruby Woo Lipstick £12.50. Apply a similar shade of lip pencil to create a perfect lip. It is easier to draw with a lip pencil if you brush a little concealer over the edges of the lips beforehand to define the lips.
For a natural lip, try new Givenchy Printed Lips in shade ‘Pink Impression’. This felt tip pen creates perfectly drawn lips that are hydrated and tinted with healthy radiance (Limited edition £16). I also recommend Bobbi brown’s new eye and lip palette (£48), this set contains a set of modern wearable fresh coral shades.
Base:
The spring/summer look is all about keeping skin looking natural, glowy and radiantly sun kissed. Skin should look illuminated. I recommend using Laura Mercier tinted Bronzing gel or a tinted moisturizer. Next apply a little concealer with a synthetic hair brush where you need a little extra coverage. Always apply concealer after using a tinted moisturizer as you want to be very precise for a flawless finish. Go very lightly on the powder. I like to use a little MAC Mineralise skinfinish natural pressed powder available in 8 shades £18.Keep make-up ultra fresh by using Evian mist (available at Boots) this will fix make-up in place and achieve a dewy finish. Compliment this look with great eyelashes achieved using metal eyelash curlers. Hold curlers in place for about twenty seconds, I like to pulse them a little as well by simply gently releasing every few seconds. Find a mascara that suits your lashes and apply two or three coats. I adore the new Givenchy Phenomen Eyes Mascara which has an innovative new design (spherical brush) which reaches everywhere to achieve spectacular results (£23). For those on a budget try a similar Loreal telescopic Explosion Mascara (£9.99).
Eyes:
Always apply an eye base/primer to the eyelids before eye shadow to keep eye make-up fresh and crease resistant all day long. My firm favourite is MAC Eye paint in Untitled.
I like to think there are no rules with make-up but having said that if you have green eyes generally lilacs and pinks look great, blue eyes usually suit corals and bronzes and brown eyes look good in most colours, particularly green.
For a natural look sweep a pastel shade over the lid blending into the eye socket. Team with a fresh pink or soft coral on the lips and cheeks for a pretty day look. I like Daniel Sandler Eye shadow 5A15 (pastel turquoise) £10. If you love the new bright colours at the moment apply the colour over the lid and blend well in to the eye socket. Brush a slightly lighter shade over the edges of the brighter colour to achieve a well blended professional finish. I love MAC Eye shadow Aquadisiac (£11.00). Barry M Dazzle dust in teal and yellow (£4.50) are also great bargain buys. If you are worried about wearing a bright shadow try using a bright colour as an eye liner along the lash line to get a hint of the shade. Choose either a gel or pencil or opt for eye shadow applied with an angled brush (I like Mac #266 brush). If you have time apply a wash of a lighter colour on the lid. For example a bright turquoise liner works well with a softer version of the same shade on the lid blended well into the socket.
In need of a little extra help then why not book a personal/group make-up lesson with me and save 20% when you mention my blog!
Niki Stannett Freelance Make-up Artist
www.nikimakeup.com
Wednesday, 16 December 2009
INSPIRE:Behind the scenes at a photoshoot...
December 2009:
My Kit open and ready for action!
Model Hannah @PremierThe first Look.
The second LookLook three Rockchick!
Next up an American concept.Model Shea @ Premier
Shea working the look!Thursday, 3 December 2009
INSPIRE:FACE CHART ART
I was rooting around in the loft the other day looking for christmas decorations when I found some of my old face charts that I had done in my days as a Resident trainer for MAC cosmetics. I thought I would post them as you may find them interesting...
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