Monthly Archives: January 2010

Bag It: Le Métier de Beauté Classic Flawless Finish Loose Powder

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This is another new(ish) brand to the market place, and what I’ve tried from the range I find exceptionally high quality. The standout favourite for me has to be the Loose Powder though, as it’s super finely milled, lightweight, and cuts shine without adding surface texture (for powder nerds, you will know this is no easy task!)

The container is a jumbo-sized sifter, and unless you have a face like the Exxon-Valdez, it should last you years. The brand itself was created by a duo with an extensive background in the beauty and fashion industries, from the ethos that only the highest grade ingredients and the newest, best technology from around the world would be applied to each product – an interesting idea and one that so far the brand has lived up to.

The founders of Le Métier de Beauté discovered a lab with a research chemist that produced cosmetics of exceptionally high quality, and together they researched the globe for more chemists to match this high standard, in order to produce the best of every type of cosmetic. Their products are created wherever the best labs and factories happen to be – so far over twenty worldwide. Each product is produced in small batches to ensure that the quality is of the highest level, and they then field research it with makeup artists, beauty editors and other industry experts to ensure that it meets the most stringent demands. No wonder I like this powder so much!

The powder is paraben, talc, and oil-free and has been triple-milled, so it goes on super-fine but keeps the skin matte yet fresh looking. Up until now if I wanted to really mattify the skin I used Shu Uemura Matte loose powder, but now I’ve switched to Le Metier.

Rumour has it that Le Métier de Beauté will be collaborating with design duo Marchesa (whose makeup I had the pleasure of touching up at the last Fashion Rocks in London, and if the line is anywhere as gorgeous as she is, we’re all in luck!)

The only thing I don’t like about it is the color selection which I don’t think goes deep enough – as you know I like powders that cater to all skintones, and this range could do with a number four in it’s range of three colors. However sometimes products can surprise you, so I’m going to slip the darkest color into my kit for London Fashion Week and see how it fares.

So it’s BAG IT!

Beauty Breakdown: Rachel Weisz at South Bank Show Awards, London

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Makeup by Kay Montano

Base – Chanel Vitalumiere foundation in Clair 20

Concealer – Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage in SC-3

Powder – Jurlique Lavender translucent loose powder brushed through T-zone

Blush – Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge in Pink Truffle

Eyes

  • Chanel Teak pencil smudged on upper lashlines
  • Bobbi Brown Black Ink gel eyeliner
  • Max Factor Lash Extension Effect mascara

Lips

  • Chanel Rouge Coco in Ballet Russe as a stain
  • Bobbi Brown Hot Pink gloss





From the Front Lines: Hugo Boss Black show, Berlin

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Last Thursday was the Hugo Boss Black show which is the biggest show I’ve ever worked on. A total of 35 models (both men and women) walked the extra-long runway in a gigantic museum in Berlin as the snow fell outside.

Kay Montano was the makeup artist and the amazing British hairdresser Sam McKnight and his team worked their magic on the models’ hair. A total of  22 hair and makeup artists worked for 6 hours to get everybody perfect for the show (which ran a little late as Hilary Swank was chatting to reporters outside.)

It was the Scottish designer Graeme Black’s first season designing with Hugo Boss and the resulting collection was absolutely immaculate – androgynous Austrian model Iris Strubegger stole the show in a thigh high pair of suede boots and intricately beaded minidress.

The makeup concept according to Kay was “vintage Catherine Denevue via Kevyn Aucoin heavy natural, with noughties rock eyeliner”. Lips were classic beige courtesy of  NARS Belle de Jour, and it was the first outing for the new Max Factor Lash Extension mascara, which is my new must-have product.

Chanel Rouge Coco Launch

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The new Chanel Rouge Coco lipsticks are gorgeous. They are Peter Philips’ first collection of Chanel lipsticks for the house since he was appointed Global Creative Director in 2008. The lip color is hydrating and extremely creamy, so it’s easy to apply – even to winter chapped lips, and after having a lovely play with them at the launch I have discovered which colors are my favourite. My picks are Paris for a bright red, Lune Rousse for a reddish stain, and Beige Felin for a nude.

The launch yesterday was a grand success with a Nigella Lawson three course lunch at the Chanel store in Brompton Cross, and a phenomenal turn out from London’s most glamorous women (to be expected really, at a Chanel launch!) Yasmin Le Bon was looking as gorgeous as ever, as were fellow supermodels Jade Parfitt (who is as nice as she is beautiful), Erin O’Connor and Jasmine Guinness who can wear red lipstick better than anyone.

There was a photo booth to take happy snaps in (which brought back memories from my childhood, although of a rather less glamorous location – Sydney train stations!) and since it came with the most flattering lighting on the planet AND a wind machine and an endless supply of Chanel accessories to try on, you can imagine it was pretty popular.

The Rouge Coco lipsticks will be on counter March 5th, and there are 30 delicious shades to choose from.

From the Front Lines – Supermodel Eniko in Chinese Vogue

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The amazing Alasdair Mclellan ** shoot in Chinese Vogue is out on newsstands, and the pictures are gorgeous. Anastasia Barbieri styled it, and the inspiration was Romy Schneider in the iconic 60’s film La Piscine.

Kay Montano did the makeup and to achieve Eniko’s golden girl glow, she used a slightly darker foundation and lots of Chanel Bronze Universal crème. On the eyes she used Bobbi Brown shadows, with Mahogany in the crease for that true 60’s style.

The beige nails to end all beige nails were done by none other than ‘Nail Queen’ Sophy Robson. She has a fabulous blog on her website which is a must for any serious fashionista – it’s a real inside view of the very top end of fashion and showcases her work in Vogues around the world and campaigns like YSL and shows for Louis Vuitton (amongst others). Her website is www.sophyrobson.com

In My Makeup Kit: Bobbi Brown Extreme Party mascara

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Kicking off the New Year in lash-tastic style, this is my latest favourite mascara. I have to be honest and say mascara is the one product I am reeeeally disloyal to. I’m talking a total mascara ho – I generally have one that I’m using when I want to be sure that I don’t look like a stripper left in the rain (black raccoon eyes at work, not so much), and a whole slew of wannabes waiting in the wings that I’m testing. I like to test them for at least a month as some of those dudes outperform at the beginning and then turn dry and gunky, others may not dazzle the first time out of the tube but on the 2nd and 3rd try (once the formula has settled a bit), they can be fab. So, bottom line is, you never know, and the there’s always a mascara somewhere out in the world you haven’t tried.

So, explanation over and the newest addition to my mascara family (after an exorbitant TWO MONTH testing period), is Bobbi Brown’s Extreme Party mascara. I wasn’t expecting much to be honest because although Bobbi is known for lots of great makeup products, generally mascara isn’t one of them – but I was really pleasantly surprised. It reminds me a bit of DiorShow without the silly jumbo brush thing going on. I know lots of people love the oversized Dior brush, but if your eyes tend more to the baked bean size (ahem) than grapefruit, I find it’s a little unwieldy. The BB Extreme Party brush gets in and kind of feathers the lashes as the brush grips at the root, and doesn’t deposit too much product at the end, so your lashes look longer, thicker, blacker and …well, just really nice actually. And it’s pretty buildable – more coats looks nice and it doesn’t flake throughout the day.

So even if in the sad month of January you don’t have any Extreme Parties to go to (I know for me it’s more like Extreme Tracksuit at the moment), still this mascara will do your new year lashes a power of good.

Right now: Newcomer – Ellis Faas

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It’s not very often that there’s something new under the makeup sun, something completely innovative and imaginative. Most new product ranges are re-workings of things that already exist, with a slight spin on concept or packaging, so it was with a gasp of happy surprise that I was introduced to the truly new makeup range by Dutch born makeup artist Ellis Faas.

Why so different? Well for a start the inspiration was a gun (already I’m intrigued!), with a silver cylinder you can ‘load’ with your choice of sleek silver bullets – lipstick, eyeliner, eyeshadow, foundation, even mascara are housed in some of the most beautiful packaging I’ve ever seen. And the colors are beautiful and extremely wearable, working on all skin tones as they are colors Ellis describes as ‘human’, or colors that occur naturally in the human body. Deep browns, blacks, bruisy purples and a beautiful deep red lipstick, along with a myriad of other colors inspired by the body. Three different people with completely different coloring tried the Milky Ellis Red lipstick on and it looked fantastic on all of them. The textures on the eyeshadows and lipsticks vary as well – the lipsticks come in three textures from Creamy, Milky to Glossy, and the eyeshadows come in Creamy and Milky. The eyeshadows can also be layered to create gorgeous washes of color.

Ellis comes from a very artistic family in the Netherlands, and started her work career as a photographer, eventually finding her way to makeup. Her amazing portfolio of work includes long collaborations with Mario Testino and Karl Lagerfeld, in addition to other major photographers like Inez and Vinoodh, Solve Sundsbo and Michael Thompson. She has distilled her love of color and extensive editorial expertise into her new range.

Really this is a range that has to be seen to be believed. The line is launching at Liberty’s of London on February, and in the US will be available at Bergdorf Goodman. In the meantime, you can shop on line at her website, www.ellisfaas.com – it’s a beautiful site that is very well organized and worth a look not just for the makeup but for Ellis’ lovely portfolio as well.

MAC Haulage – Warm and Cozy Collection

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I know that everyone is still feeling dozy and sedated after lots of food (well, I certainly am), but as the year starts to get going again, let me tell you to run, not walk to your latest MAC counter for the new Warm and Cozy collection. It’s their best collection in a while, with some old favourites (2N and 3N lipgloss, welcome back!) and new Tinted Lip Conditioners, hooray!

I managed to brave the crowds at Westfield to enjoy the lusciousness of the new Tinted Lip Conditioner in Close for Comfort. I love the TLCs both for personal use and for work because they are sheer, they provide just a hint of color and they moisturize. But lo and behold! What else did I find but Close for Comfort also is gorgeous as a sheeny blush. It is sheer but if you go over it a few times it’s a soft peach-y brown with a gorgeous shine to it. Yet one more reason to go get you some MAC. (After all, a sheeny cheek goes a long way to stop people looking at your ass – I know I don’t want anyone looking at mine until at least mid-February, when some of those Christmas desserts have worn off).

Happy New Year!

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Apologies for the silence over Christmas from MM HQ, but due to a French mother-in-law carbohydrate-induced coma, if it hasn’t been edible I haven’t been interested. (In fact, I’ve ingested so many calorie-laden foods, I’ve been barely conscious). That’s not strictly true – there has in fact been lots of product testing going on in between bouts of foie gras, quails and fresh scallops (our house has not been a bastion for animal rights over Christmas I’m afraid).

So MakeupMole will be back in the New Year with all the fab new things I’ve been discovering – because makeup doesn’t stop, even for the holiday season. Questions and requests are always welcome, because if the Mole doesn’t know, she has ways of finding out!

Wishing all the best to my lovely readers for 2010.