The Makeup Mole

I found this lovely video of Chanel makeup maestro Peter Phillips backstage at the recent Chanel Haute Couture show, explaining his inspiration for the show – which is Courtney Love meets Haute Couture (trust Peter Phillips to bust out a combo like that and make it look so right, and perfectly chic).

Hair is by none other than Sam McKnight, one of my very favourite hairdressers, and the clothes – well, let’s just say that haute couture ain’t dead yet.

Oh, and that perfect red lip? It’s Chanel Precision Lip Definer in Carmin and Rouge Coco lipstick in Rivoli.

Since I’m already on the topic of all things Chanel – and regular readers will know it’s a topic I revisit often, as I love, love, love this brand – currently on counter in Asia are none other than the super deluxe eyelash curlers that I blogged about a while ago. And the other thing that is shortly winging it’s way into my makeup kit? The new cream eyeshadow duos which are absolutely gorgeous. The texture is amazing, and I’ll be starting with Gris-Subtil, the deep slate grey and shimmering silver, and then working on adding some more. You know, a girl has to have projects.

Alex Box's beauty shoot - Japanese Vogue

Most of you will no doubt know by now that makeup master Alex Box is in Sydney this week for the launch of her makeup brand, Illamasqua, at the upcoming Myer show. It’s been a pretty action-packed few days but yesterday’s Hair and Makeup trial for the show was an amazing experience – the glitter came out and Alex put her brushes and the full Illamasqua palette to work.

A very rare opportunity has come up as part of this visit – Alex will be conducting Master Classes this Saturday, 31^st of July at the Myer store in Sydney, so if you want to learn makeup from one of the world’s best makeup artists, this is your chance. The cost is $95, redeemable in Illamasqua product, and after yesterday’s makeup fun-fest I can tell you I have a wish-list as long as my right arm! I found out today there are only a couple of spaces left, so for bookings call 1800 661 210.

I found this behind the scenes video of the new Lancome Autumn/Winter collection for Lancome, French Coquettes. It’s an homage to the French Belle Epoque era, and I have to say the makeup looks gorgeous (particularly the new  Ombre Magnetique eyeshadows.)

Last year New Zealand born, New York based makeup artist Aaron de Mey was appointed as the Global Makeup Director for the brand, and ever since then it’s looking more and more interesting. I have kind of a makeup crush on Mr de Mey (It’s kind of like a girl crush, but he’s a guy, and there’s more makeup involved), as he’s one of the world’s foremost editorial makeup artists.

Check out the video with gorgeous brand ambassadors Daria Werbowy and Electtra Wiedermann (and yes, her mum is Isabella Rosellini in a nice twist on the Lancome heritage).

Lancome’s French Coquettes collection will be available exclusively at Harvey Nichols from the 20^th August, and nationwide throughout the UK from the 1^st September.

What a genius idea – cult UK makeup brand Illamasqua has come up with a way for you to clear out your old makeup and embrace the extraordinary.

Bring in your old makeup (that can be in any condition, including smashed, broken or just plain out of fashion), and replace with fresh, spanking new Illamasqua products at 25% off! There is no limit to how many pieces you can bring in and it’s 25% off ANY Illamasqua product – so if that isn’t a good excuse to go and refresh your makeup bag, I don’t know what is. My current favourite is their Liquid Metals palette.

This offer runs from the 17^th to the 31^st July at the following counters in the UK – Selfridges Oxford St, Trafford Centre, Birmingham Bullring, Fenwick Newcastle, BT2 Grafton St Dublin, Debenhams Glasgow, Belfast and Cardiff.

Unfortunately it doesn’t run on their online shop, but to whet your appetite go to www.illamasqua.com

London mega-manicurist Sophy Robson has been at it again, this time nailing (excuse the pun) the provocative new Tom Ford Eyewear campaign (see image above). If that doesn’t make you look, I don’t know what does!

The campaign was actually shot by Mr Tom Ford himself who has added photographer to his already pretty impressive CV, and the model is the ever gorgeous Dane, Freja Beha.

The deep blackened purple on Freja’s nails is Sophy’s Polish Pick of the Month, and it is a new colour for autumn, Dior’s Black Plum. Set to be huge again this autumn/winter are variations on black, so Dior’s new nail polish is typically of the moment.

Sophy has another nail tutorial as well – this time a Chanel nail tutorial, which I’ve included below.

She’s been a very busy bee the last month, shooting campaigns for Jil Sander, Tom Ford Perfume, Loewe, Armani and Givenchy, and editorial that includes a cover of Marion Cotillard for Paris Vogue and M.I.A for Interview magazine as well as her usual slew of editorials in British and Japanese Vogue and Love magazine. Phew!

It seems like every day Twilight actress Kristen Stewart has been rocking the red carpet somewhere in the world as she promotes her new film in the Twilight Saga, Eclipse.

I thought she looked particularly gorgeous at the New York premiere this week, and apparently that very sexy eye makeup is courtesy of NARS. One of her regular makeup artists, Beau Nelson, used NARS Zardoz cream eyeshadow (a raven black), with NARS Pandora cream eyeshadow (a black and white duo) over it for those elongated, sexy eyes. Combining cream eyeshadow with powder gives beautiful depth and definition to your eye makeup and is a favourite MM technique. Now if NARS could just gift box up R-Patz to go with those eyeshadows, we’d all be set!

It’s gotta be Chanel Rouge Allure lipstick in Super, Genial and Darling. Super because it’s super hot candy pink, which let’s face it is always a winner, Genial because it’s a gorgeous punchy coral – a firm MM favourite in the colour stakes, and Darling, because it’s neither of those – it’s not for statement lips, it’s for your lips, just better. The perfect nothing colour. Who could ask for more than that?

These are my new eyeliner discovery, and they are fab. Super-creamy, long-wearing and they come in a great range of shades (8 in total). I thought I had all the pencils I needed, but it turns out, I was wrong. It turns out, you can never have too many pencils! What a relief.

I only have two of them at the moment but it won’t be long before I add more – I find the way they smudge yet stay colour true is more like the performance of one of the high end brands. It’s not very often that I make the foray from the department store to the drugstore, but for Revlon I’m starting to make an exception.

I have to confess to being more and more impressed with Revlon. Last year they took on Gucci Westman (NY makeup artist extraordinaire who racks up Vogue and W covers just as easily as red carpet clients, including Jessica Biel, Cameron Diaz and Drew Barrymore), and ever since Gucci’s been on board – well their makeup looks fresh again. I’m impressed by the pigments and colours not just on the eyeliners but also the concealers, lipsticks, nail polishes, cream blushes and eyeshadows, and their brushes are fabulous, although they can be hard to find.

Last summer I worked on a Revlon commercial in London with Kay Montano who was making up the ever-amazing Elle McPherson, and I got the chance to try a lot of the products then. It’s an impressive drugstore offering, certainly my favourite across the board of the ranges in a lower price point. Their advertising campaigns have kicked up a notch as well with their recent signing of beautiful actresses Jessica Biel and Jessica Alba, and it feels like again you can say “The Most Unforgettable Women in the World Wear Revlon.”