The Makeup Mole

“Penny Lane, you’re in my heart and on my cheeks…”

Indeed you are, you cheeky perfect lilac nude-y creamy flush you! I have to confess I forgot about you for a while, but when I pulled you from the Vault and tapped you on my cheekbones I can’t believe you were ever out of my kit.

NARS is justifiably renowned for his blushes – the colors, the payoff, sweet baby Jesus the names! The names! Hungry Heart anyone? Exhibit A? Gold Member? How about the straight to the point Sin?

And let’s not forget how downright shocking Orgasm was back in the day, when it’s gorgeous peach-y tones was making everyone look post-coital. (This was before the road to fame and fortune was paved with intimate gynecological knowledge of a celebrity’s Baby Parts. ‘Orgasm’ now is about as racy as calling a blush ‘Elbow.’)

I have pretty much all of the blushes, both cream and powder (I went through a bit of a NARS craze a few years back), so I have to confess to being a fan. Penny Lane is currently back to it’s Number 1 spot on my blush parade, as it’s perfect on it’s own, layered under other blushes or with bronzer. It’s even gorgeous on the lips! (Apparently it’s Lindsay Lohan’s favourite, but you didn’t hear that from me).

“Penny Lane is in my ears and in my eyes…

There, beneath the blue, suburban skies…”

Regular readers of MakeupMole might have noticed I’m not big on glosses at the moment. That’s not to say I haven’t been partial to them in the past – oh no! I have two whole drawers of them in the Vault that are testament to my crazy gloss-loving days, back when I never knew you could have too many of the suckers  and models looked like they had been shellacked – any job without a mixture of three different glosses to get just the right color – well I wasn’t on it.

Since lipstick and lip liner have been taking centre stage again, I readjusted my kit and ditched a lot of my shiny stuff, in favor of matte and satin lippies, MAC lip mixes and Make Up For Ever Matte Lip Creme. But I do still carry a few lip glosses for those moments when you need it – clear MAC lipglass, some randoms I NEVER use but I have in case I have a pastel or cream colored lip emergency, and this fella, which still even in these gloss-starved times, seems to come out to play – Lancome Color Fever Gloss no 206. It’s a sparkly (but not too sparkly) pinky beig-y nude that was one of the earlier holographic lip glosses which normally I’m not too fond of – Acid Trip on your Lips, anyone? But this one just gives superior shine in a great color that looks gorgeous either on its own or layered over lipstick. I’ve used it on beauty shoots that were all about the skin and red carpet appearances alike, and it’s always a winner.

So if they’ll be prying your gloss out of your stiff cold hands (and let’s face it, for mere mortals a little bit of lip sheen is just prettier than a dry, dusty mouth) then this could be the gloss or you.

Yesterday we were shooting French Vogue on a common in South London with the unbelievably gorgeous and iconic (in all senses of the word) Claudia Schiffer. The look of the day was red lips, and makeup artist Kay Montano gave Claudia carte blanche to choose her own red, as one of the few genuine supermodels she definitely knows which red suits her best. Her pick? NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Cruella (a MakeupMole fave!) Also key to the look was beautiful skin and a curled lash, to keep the look modern and minimal.

Keep an eye out for the Alasdair Mclellan story in September French Vogue.

“Gaga art directs everything! She is a stream of ideas and suggested I paint Japanese cartoon style eyes on her eyelids which added a surreal edge to what would otherwise have been a cutesie look.”

Base – Chanel Vitalumiere in No. 20 Clair

Powder – Chanel Traslucent powder to create the perfect base

Eyes – Make Up For Ever Flash Colors 12 color box of crème makeup to paint exaggerated green Japanese eyes on her eyelids, with MAC Prep+Prime to set

Eyeliner – Bobbi Brown Long Wear Gel Eyeliner in Black Ink

Mascara – Chanel Exceptionnel mascara in black

Lashes – 2 sets of MAC eyelashes, 1 on the browbone to create false top lash

Lips – Chanel Coco Pink lipstick (US exclusive), then silver (Fardel silver powder mixed with water), then painted the Cupid’s bow in Chanel New York red for the final shot of her on a Masonic throne wearing an overflowing regal gown made of Hello Kitty dolls!

True Gaga style.

NB The Make Up For Ever Flash case was also used by Kay on her iconic Mario Testino portrait of Kate Moss, featured on the cover of Mario Testino’s book, Portraits.

Marion Newman is one of the best manicurists in the world, with more Vogue covers to her name than any other nail artist. In addition to her extraordinary roster of high-fashion and celebrity clients, she’s managed to find time to launch her own line of nail polishes, the Inkredibles, that I’ve been loving ever since they came out. Today we’re lucky enough to have an interview with the lady in question.

1) Aside from Marian Newman Nails, what are you doing at the moment?

My ‘day job’, that is sessions work for editorials and advertising in the studio. Plus, Fashion Weeks come around so quickly!!

2) Favourite nail job ever?

Everything with Nick Knight! That includes 10 years of Dior. But I have to include my 12” spiral nails for Givenchy Couture and my ‘connected’ nails for Italian Vogue Giello.

3) Worst nail job ever?

I don’t mind but I do get a bit fed up with being asked for the ‘natural buff’! I’d like to think that I can do the best ‘natural buff’ but it doesn’t exactly challenge me!

4) Top 5 products?

My own ‘Right Here Nail Oil’, Dior Manicure Ridge Filler, Crème De La Mer Hand Treatment, my Glosser, my Wrapture Plus top coat. I created my products because I know what I need to perform in all circumstances so I can’t help but believe in them ‘cos they work!

5) If you could tell women to do one thing differently with their nails, what would it be?

Use a nail oil every day. I guarantee an improvement!

6) How did you get started in the business?

Doing nails? By doing a make up course! Sessions? Being asked to do ‘nails’ on a shoot with Nick Knight!

7) How is it different to when you started?

I was the first true sessions technician in the UK. Now, so many people think the job is easy! It’s not just the skill that is important. Fitting in and being a team player is just as important. So many believe that the job is easy and charge a fraction of the real sessions techs. Plus budgets are being cut all the time and retouching is so much more refined! I grew up with the fact that retouching costs a fortune and must be avoided at all costs. It’s different now. My son is one of the best retouchers so I know what can be put right, realistically, so quickly!

8) Which work are you most proud of?

I’d like to think that every piece of work is as good as it can be (but don’t we all!!!) Staying one of Nick Knights team for 12 years is what I’m most proud of. Anyone can do anything once or twice. Staying at that level for 12 years is something that I am very proud of. I’m also very proud of creating a brand that is genuinely something different in the world. In addition to having the ability and amazing loyalty of my colleagues (and my husband) to launch it into the market and achieve such amazing support from the beauty press and friends in the sessions world who continue to support me.

9) What do you love doing in your spare time?

Spending time with my children. Being creative with ideas. Just being at home. I have a new puppy so want to make her into a lovely family dog.

Marion’s range of nail products can be viewed at www.mariannewmannails.com

Or “Tranny powder”, as I like to call it, but unless you’re Jodie Harsh you probably shouldn’t follow in my footsteps.

When it’s as hot as London has been this summer, something everybody needs is a good translucent powder, and I’ve been using Laura Mercier’s for oh, about 9 years now. I’ve used it on beach shoots in Sydney , CEOs in the States, and sweaty models in the banlieues of Paris, and even in the hottest conditions it’s stood the sticky potato-face test without looking cakey, floury or as if you’re auditioning for Whatever Happened to Baby Jane.

Its finely milled French cashmere talc absorbs oil and stops shine without looking over-done, which is understandable when you know its creator – Laura Mercier is one of the greatest session makeup artists ever and a personal fave of mine. Her extensive and lovely line of makeup was created with both makeup artists and consumers in mind, which is why it turns up in both handbags and professional kits alike. And why, dear readers, I use it for work, (and for my sometimes sweaty self), and you can confidently use it on yourselves in these hot summer months!

The secret (like most things) is in the application. Puffs and sponges will deposit too much powder, and I’m not a fan of the big brush either – too 90’s. You aren’t seeking to eradicate your face with powder, just to set your makeup and to dust off shine. So using a small brush (I like Ruby and Millie’s 10mm, available at Boots), just take it over your t-zone – forehead, nose and chin, and what Gisele accurately but un-charmingly calls the “bulldog creases” for those lines that run from nose to chin. (Then again, only Gisele could call them that as there is nothing bulldog about that girl!)

The cheeks are left au naturel as a little bit of shine here is what pulls the look together and makes it modern (if you want to make yourself look 1000 years old, powder all over, I dare you!)

A note for our darker skinned ladies – translucent powder always bills itself as powder that looks good on every skin tone, but on darker skins it can look ashy. Better picks for you are Bobbi Brown Sheer Finish Loose Powder in Basic Brown or Golden Orange, which Kay Montano has used on Salma Hayek in the desert and swears it doesn’t over-build or get cakey, no matter how much you use it.

Because even when it’s hot it’s about the glow (not the sweaty potato face).

Last week working on British Vogue I met the beautiful Senegalese model, Kinee Diouf, and she showed me her top foundation pick for  black skin – Make Up For Ever Mat Velvet + Matttifying Foundation.

It evened out her skin perfectly, and the redness of its undertone was just right for her polished ebony coloring. Even better for darker skin tones? It’s got a mattifier built right in, so your skin shines just the right amount when topped with powder, and means fewer makeup touch-ups throughout the day.

Make Up For Ever is very hard to get in England – PAM in Shepherd’s Bush (a wonderful little professional makeup shop) has some of the range, but I’m planning to stock up when I go to the US in August. Sephora, here I come!!