Monthly Archives: April 2010

New Collections: NARS Summer

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New NARS Summer 2010 CollectionRocking my socks off this week is the new NARS Summer collection, which I was lucky enough to see and try a couple of months ago. It’s been hard but I’ve had to keep these little oceanic treasures to myself – until now, as they’re going to be on counter on May 1st.

This collection is, in my opinion, the most cohesive one NARS has done for some time, with several stand out pieces. It’s the reason why I am firmly back into NARS after a hiatus where I strayed into lots of other brands. It’s good to have a break from your favourite ranges from time to time as it makes you realize how many amazing products there are out there in the market place now – but when you return to an old favourite, it’s like falling in love all over again!

So why so crazy about this particular collection? For me it walks that line between some delicious snacks for my editorial kit – bright blue and green cream eyeshadow, yes please! And some straight beauty items that could go in any woman’s makeup bag – products that just make you pretty. We do love those at MM HQ! So here are my picks:

Burn it Blue cream eyeshadow duo – this was the first pal I picked up and it is described as an iridescent ocean blue paired with turquoise, which is just begging to be taken to the beach, wrapped on a model’s eyelids and photographed next to the ocean.

Cayenne – a deceptive dark brown cream eyeshadow that is the type of product you might pass over, but is surprisingly lovely on all eye colours. Like all cream eyeshadows, you can use it as a base for deeper, smoky looks by layering powder eyeshadow over the top.

Enchanted cream blush – the most gorgeous, happy cream blush you’ve ever seen that really does work on all skin tones, if its efforts at the Oscars are to be appreciated. Dusky beauty Zoe Saldana wore it, as did Jennifer Lopez, and it would be equally gorgeous on milkier-skinned starlets. PHENOMENAL. Perfect for work, and home!

Love Devotion – Bright, sheer guava lipstick. Because it’s very sheer it’s a nice way to get into the season’s statement lip trend without investing in a lipstick that’s so bright it just freaks you out (quite frankly). And if you want to amp it up, you could always add a bright pencil lipliner. I’m loving Barry M’s kohl liner in Orange as a base for a statement lip.

Now I just have to wait for his Primer to come out on May 15th! Which just goes to show there’s never a dull moment in Makeup World.

Stop Press! Manicurist Sophy Robson Creates All For Eve Polish

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All For Eve Red Polish by Sophy RobsonAll for Eve is a new brand (launched last November), to benefit ovarian cancer. It was created by George Hammer after his sister-in-law Nadia died of ovarian cancer, and even though it is a new brand to the market place it is already being recognized for its excellent products by scooping last week’s CEW Awards.

The principal behind the brand is that one expert in their field shall be asked to create an item in each category, making a timeless, iconic product, and the proceeds will go to fund ovarian and gynecological cancer research and awareness.

London’s hottest manicurist Sophy Robson, has been asked to create the nail polish which will be launched in London on the 26th April. Sophy says “I am so happy to be involved with such an inspiring enterprise as the All For Eve project. It will be exciting to see what is achieved for the Eve Appeal with the help of the other fantastic names involved. I chose a classic, iconic red as it is a timeless statement colour for nails, and symbolises a strong, stylish woman.”

The initial capsule collection includes a red lipstick designed by Daniel Sandler, spa products by Urban Retreat, a Swarowski Crystal nail file and Sophy’s ‘Eve Red’ nailpolish.

Products will be launched on the 26th of April, with products selling immediately through the website, www.allforeve.co.uk, before launching in UK retailers such as Harrods, Fortnum & Mason, Fenwicks, Selfridges and Harvey Nichols, from May.

Beauty Breakdown – Keira Knightley at the Olivier Awards, London

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Keira Knightley- makeup by Kay MontanoMakeup by Kay Montano

Keira Knightley looked ravishing as always at the Olivier awards in London. Kay Montano was her makeup maestro, and this is the Beauty Breakdown for her look.

Skincare

  • Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base
  • Nude Lipbalm

Base – Chanel Pro Lumiere foundation in 10

Powder – Chanel Poudre Universal Libre in 20 Clair

Blush – Chanel Tea Rose Joues Contrast blush, with extra Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face base on the cheeks

Eyes – Chanel Teak eye pencil smudged into upper lashes, Chanel Ecriture de Chanel black eyeliner on lashline and Chanel Inimtable Obscure mascara in Black.

Lips – Chanel Rouge Coco lipstick in Ballet Russes

Beauty Breakdown – Thandie Newton for Virgin Shorts festival

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Makeup by Kay Montano - Photographer Lorenzo Agius

How incredible does gorgeous actress Thandie Newton look in these pictures? It’s for the Virgin Shorts film competition which Thandie will soon be judging, and the brief was to recreate the drama of 1920’s silent screen actress Theda Bara.

Celebrity photographer Lorenzo Agius was behind the camera, and top hairdresser Neil Moodie was tending to her locks. As usual Kay Montano rocked it on the makeup front, and Thandie was her usual amazing self – how many movie stars will offer you a seat whilst you’re working? I can tell you now, not many – but there’s a reason why Thandie is one of my favourite stars. Here’s what Kay used to transform her into a Cecil B. DeMille era siren.

Base – Myface Mymix foundation in Med/Dark 01

Concealer – Becca concealer in Cappucino

Powder – Jurlique Translucent powder

Blush – No blush

Eyes

  • MyFace Soulful Shades Eyeshadow trio in Midnight Hour (the black shadow) as a base, creating the distinctive shape
  • Chanel Eye Gloss quad in black over this, with a bit of Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream on top for extra shine (which is key to this look)
  • Eye rimmed with black Guyliner eye khol
  • Black Chanel Inimitable Mascara

Lips – Chanel Les Rouge Noirs Hysteria lipstick in a 1920’s bee stung shape

Newcomer: Lime Crime Arrives at Space NK

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Lime Crime LipsCheck out this smooth criminal who has just escaped from New York and arrived on counter at Space NK – Lime Crime lipstick. It takes a fair amount to get me excited about makeup these days (although Lord knows, I still do, and when I stop is the time I need to hang up my brushes and call it a day) – but Lime Crime, well I was hooked at first sight. It’s the brainchild of New York makeup artist Doe Deere, and the line also has eyeshadows as well. I’m hoping these follow their lipstick brethren soon to the UK.

But or a start, blue lipstick. Yes, that’s right, they have a gorgeous sky blue lipstick that I KNOW I’m going to be rocking on a shoot real soon. And they have 9 other major shades of pure, saturated color, the kind of color that is hard to find anywhere else. In other words, color that is perfect for this season’s statement lip. Fluoro orange, perfect red, bubblegum pink, even lilac. I’ll let you know how it performs in the field…

www.spacenk.co.uk

New Collections – Illamasqua Body Electrics

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Illamasqua Body Electrics

Illamasqua Body Electrics

With summer on it’s way, even more exciting than getting out in the sun at lunchtime to eat your sandwiches is the new makeup collections coming out. The new Body Electrics collection by Illamasqua is based on body creams and kinetic energy, and if the videos and images are anything to go by, it is ace! The photos were shot by famed London based photographic duo Nick Thornton Jones and Warren du Preez (who I have also had the pleasure of working with on a number of occasions), and hair by the hair whisperer, James Pecis. Makeup of course is by makeup master chef, ALEX BOX. This is makeup for just the fun of it, and Illamasqua fans will be delighted to see a four palette of their Liquid metals in this collection – that’s right, gold, silver, bronze and frosty white, all in one handy little palette. Already, I’m I love. Plus the nail polishes – don’t get me started…

Here to get your pulses racing, I have for your enjoyment backstage footage of Body Electrics, and Alex talking about the inspiration for the collection.

Stop Press: Bobbi Brown Tinted Eye Brighteners in a WAND!

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These came out a couple of months ago, but I’ve only just tested them now. I didn’t think it was possible to be any more in love with the Bobbi Brown Eye Brighteners (which really are the miracle cure to banishing dark under eye circles), and yet with the new packaging, clearly I am.Bobbi Brown Eye Brighteners

The product is so good that even with the old style pot I would lug all four of them on every job, swearing when the annoying lid would slip and half the goopy Eyebright would be brightening the ends of my fingers/back of my hand/the brush/my clothes instead of my client’s face, and then I’d smear it all over my towel trying to clean it up in order to get on with my job. Did I mention I hated those pots?

But their eye bag reducing capabilities were such I always used them, and then somewhere an angel on Bobbi Brown’s shoulder told her that the pot packaging was crap, and she should think of something else. And she did. A genius wand, like the Touche Eclat concealer pens, that looks chic, delivers just the right amount of product and can even be thrown in your handbag – thrown, I tell you! For on the go touchups. Because Bobbi is nice like that. She knows what women want. And it comes in more shades than before – eight instead of four, in fact. So all the ladies of the skintone spectrum are covered. Which makes me and my kit, very happy.

www.bobbibrowncosmetics.com

The Interview: Sophy Robson, the Nail Queen

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Kate Moss in Vogue - nails by Sophy RobsonSophy is arguably the hottest manicurist in the world at the moment, having just finished the runway shows for Louis Vuitton, Vivienne Westwood and Stella Macartney (not to mention creating the totally bad-ass ghetto nails at Henry Holland’s London show that were all over style.com), shot campaigns for Tom Ford, Longchamp and McQueen, and tended to the celebrity nails of Alexa Chung and every supermodel in the world – put it this way, Kate Moss is a regular. Not bad when only ten short years ago she was working in a nail bar in Soho!

She is loved in the industry for her sparkly personality and her endless technical skills – this is a lady who has custom blended fifty nail polishes for a runway show, has her own blog (which is ace by the way – check it out at www.sophyrobson.com for a real behind the scenes look at fashion), created the graded nail and basically invented this season’s trend, the Mannequin Nail. So without further ado, I bring you ten questions with the Nail Queen herself:

1) What are you working on at the moment?
I have just finished fashion week (thirteen shows!) come back and done a four looks nail story for Grazia and a Topshop make up and Armani campaign straight after so once I caught my breath, I am now working on a display for a press day next week at PR Mandi Lennard’s basement in Hoxton. I have never had a PR before so this is very exciting. I have also chosen a red polish for a new charity brand launching in April called All For Eve.

2) Favourite nails job ever?
I have enjoyed and felt fulfillment from many, many jobs. However, show-wise, I think my favourite was the first time I did the Louis Vuitton show last year, as working with someone like Marc Jacobs and an organisation as efficiently run as Louis Vuitton was both a demanding and rewarding experience. When I was re- booked again this season it was quite an honour for me, and the sense of accomplishment after we worked to produce another trendsetting nail for the runway is very high!Sophy Robson's nails in Elle

3) Worst nails job ever?
There was one nightmare job once but I have almost erased it from memory now. I don’t think the person in question is even in business any more so who cares!

4) Top 5 products?
Seche Vite – Dry Fast Top Coat
Solar Oil for cuticles
Diamancel nail files
Chanel Nail polish

5) If you could tell women to do one thing differently with their nails, what would it be?
STOP leaving your polish on for too long! This is the main cause of dehydration and yellowing of the nail plate.

6) How did you get started in the business?
Initially I was working for a trendy West end nail bar chain and I began to meet commercial models who would come in to get fake nails done for jobs. I was good at producing very natural looking fake nails, and began to collect their tearsheets from magazines as evidence of my work. Then I began to approach hair and make up agencies and it sort of went from there.

7) How is it different to when you started?
Nails have become big in fashion now. When I started there was barely any photographers or stylists that recognised the need for a manicurist. So the interest has increased, and generally manicurists are treated with much more respect than when I started. Also there are so many more opportunities now, as the demand for nails has grown so much.

8) Which work are you most proud of?
When the Mert & Marcus pictures of Erykah Badu in Tom Ford’s White Patchouli perfume appeared, I could not believe how good that image was. I felt like I was not likely to get a better representation of my work than that! The French Vogue cover of Laetitia Casta’s nails especially when someone told me it had been used as a reference for another shoot they were on. I am also proud of the “gradient” or Ombre” nails look as it started as a small post on my blog called “colour change nails” and went round the world. I love it when people write “I have never been that into nails until I saw this….”

Sophy Robson9) What do you love doing in your spare time?
Well when I have some I love to spend time with my daughter… she is becoming like a teenager now so we do girly things together like shopping, going out for dinner, cinema or bowling. I also love staying at hotels and going running in the park.

10) What are your trend predictions for the coming season for nails?
Pastel blue nails and other candy colours. Nails are a fashion accessory now so you can be as adventurous and stylish as you like.

Makeup artist: Lisa Eldridge

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Lovely London makeup artist Lisa Eldridge has a fab new blog. It’s at www.lisaeldridge.com, which includes beauty breakdowns of her celeb clientele plus great videos. She also has her makeup tutorial videos on YouTube  and they are well worth checking out. Lisa is a regular in Vogue as well as having lots of red carpet clients, so let’s just say she knows what she is doing!

Here is her latest trend video on this season’s corals (great minds think alike!)