Tag Archives: Bobbi Brown

The Return of Lipstick

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There is a bonafide revolution going on in makeup halls not just around the country, but around the world – Lipstick is Back.

Relegated to the status of a makeup also ran since, ooh, about 1999, when gloss usurped its position as women’s choice of lip enhancer, lipstick has quietly been easing its way back into our lives.

For me the tide turned on a shoot with David Bailey over a year ago – Kay Montano had these beautiful, creamy lipsticks from Bobbi Brown that she had been using on Nicole Kidman (aptly named ‘Creamy Lipsticks’), and I fell in love all over again with their delicious texture and the fact that they were moisturizing and had a sheen on them, but no stickiness. Gloss had been feeling a little passé for awhile, but this was the first time I had tossed an actual lipstick in my handbag in years.

My gloss bag at work started to shrink, and my lipstick palettes increase. I was using bolder colors at work – bright oranges, corals, fuchsia, red in all its permutations from deep wine to eye-popping cherries and strawberries.

Then came the launch of Chanel’s Rouge Coco lipstick in March this year with its ethereal image of Vanessa Paradis. Chanel’s Global Makeup artist, Peter Phillips, was so vocal in his championing of the forgotten makeup product, that it heralded something of a return. In the last couple of months it feels like every line is bringing lipstick back, and when the master of the fashion zeitgeist, Tom Ford, decides to launch a line of lippies, you know it’s a done deal.

My new-found love of lipstick has led me to try out quite a few lately, and my top winners at the moment are:

YSL Rouge Volupte – love the colours and they are super-creamy

Bobbi Brown – perfect for your natural lip shade but better

Chanel Rouge Coco – they really are as good as the buzz

Estee Lauder – if you’re re-investigating the classics, why not go to the source?

Illamasqua – For mouth-watering statement lip shades

NARS – from nudes to reds, his colour selection is unparalleled

MAC – like a lipstick candy store for grown ups

Lipstick is not just about applying lip colour – it’s an attitude, a feeling, a gift to yourself. It’s time (if you haven’t done so already), to make like a lady, and get yourself a lipstick.

Beauty Breakdown: Nicole Kidman at the Omega store opening, Hong Kong

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Nicole Kidman at the Omega store opening, Hong Kong Makeup by Kay Montano

Nicole Kidman looked radiant in Hong Kong yesterday, appearing at the opening of the new Omega watch store, and later at the charity gala event, “A Night with the Stars”. The gala was in conjunction with Omega in support of UNIFEM, for which she is an ambassador, and her husband, singer Keith Urban was also performing.

Wearing a gorgeous string strap dress by Nina Ricci she looked every inch the movie star. Her makeup artist, Kay Montano, was channeling 1940’s Hollywood film-noir glamour for makeup with a sheer, modern twist. Here’s what Kay used:

Base – a mixture of Chanel Base Lumiere and Myface Mymix foundation in Fair 01
Powder – Jurlique loose powder in t-zone only
Blush – Myface Paradisio Pink blush
Eyes

  • Myface Midnight Hour Soulful Shades eyeshadow trio, a mixture of smoky greys and black
  • Bobbi Brown Black Ink gel eyeliner
  • Chanel Inimitable Obscure mascara in black

Lips – Chanel Rouge Coco in Cambon mixed with Nude lip balm for a modern, soft red lip.

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

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

Video: Lanvin Autumn/Winter 2010 Behind the Scenes

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I loved this show – incredible clothes (what we have come to expect from Alber Elbaz), and I found the aesthetic to be really interesting. This season the Lanvin team were playing with the idea that everybody is starting to look the same, which I think we can all attest to – the incredible rise in plastic surgery creating a veritable army of clone-like female “beauty”. By giving the models the same hair and a robotic black eye, Elbaz eloquently makes the point that fashion should also be about diversity. It might be beautiful, but surely we don’t want everyone to look the same? Nice to see a really interesting ethos behind a show. Hats off to Elbaz, Guido on hair and the redoubtable Pat McGrath on makeup (who, quite frankly, does it again).

For those viewers at home who would like to take this look for a spin, I would recommend:

  • Bobbi Brown Black Ink Gel Eyeliner plus MAC Smolder pencil and MAC Carbon shadow to create the black structure to the eye
  • MAC Pro glitter in Gold and Reflects Antique Gold for golden shine on the lid
  • Benefit Hoola bronzer for contour under the cheekbones (no blush)
  • Estee Lauder Vanilla Truffle lipstick for an expensive beige mouth, and Estee Lauder Clear Gloss for shine



Trends: Coral

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I don’t know about you guys, but I for one am Officially. Over. Winter. In my mind it’s done – I’m sick of the scarves and coats and hats and ready for some tropical style—ee warm weather.

So if I can’t have summer in actuality, I’m going to fake it. Which means getting into the color on everyone’s lips and cheeks. Yep, coral. A shade you might be frightened of, quite rightly, because you think “Oh my God, Nana”. But like lots of things (such as clogs and double denim) that are so wrong they’re right again, coral is the lip color for spring.

Why? Because it’s just really gorgeous and flattering, and it’s more interesting than pink and not as full on as red or orange, so you can feel like you’re making a statement and flirting with a trend yet not feeling like an escapee from Disney’s Small World. Coral is pretty, flattering and lady like. Call it the Mad Men effect.

It’s no longer a color for Mrs Slocum. It’s more a modern version of Grace Kelly in To Catch a Thief. (For really, who DOESN’T want to be cuddled up in a convertible with Cary Grant on the Riviera?)  It’s true, it’s a color that had its heyday in the 50’s and 60’s, called something clever like “Shrimp Cocktail”, and everybody’s gran had a tube of the stuff in their bathroom. But now with the improvements in technology and a wider range to cater for all skin tones, it’s possible to find a shade of peach for everyone.

Cary Grant and Grace Kelly

Corals to Covet

Bobbi Brown has a whole Coral collection out this season, called Cabo Corals. I’m loving the Cabo Coral Pot Rouge, which is the yellow-er sister to Calypso Coral Pot Rouge (which has a bluer undertone.) Cabo Coral would be beautiful on anyone, but it’s gorgeous on deeper skin tones, and those with more yellow-ish skin. The Cabo Coral lipstick and the shimmery nectarine Sunset Beach gloss are pretty spesh as well. I even like them all together – call it the Double Coral Face! Bobbi Brown  Lip Crayon in Coral Pink is also on my wishlist – it’s gorge.

Benefit – Coralista blush, which came out last year but is still right on trend for 2010. We do love Benefit’s blushes,( although why they insist on calling them “Face Powders” is beyond me –  I think it’s confusing and misleading.) But call them a blush and they are DIVINE. Coralista  went straight into the Top Ten of Benefit’s prodiucts as soon as it was released, so I’m clearly not the only one with a love of all things peachy.

Illamasqua – Obey lipstick, the perfect 60’s peach lip and Excite powder blush, a vivid apricot, are my top shades in their range.

Paul & Joe Cheek cream in 03 – this gives you that watercolor, lit from within glow.

NARS – Casablanca and Barbarella lipsticks are both classic corals, plus the new Summer 2010 collection which I’m BEYOND excited by, has Love Devotion Lipstick, a sheer guava stain, and Enchanted, a coral cream blush (which J Lo, and  Zoe Saldana  wore to the Oscars.) And let’s face it, full monty coral needs luminous skin, so add a bit of Orgasm Illuminator whilst you’re at it. Oh and you could add NARS lipgloss in Orgasm whilst you were there. You know, if you wanted.

How to Wear It

Even though grannies are cool again (witness the incredible resurgence of grey hair and the lavender rinse that Kelly Osborne has been sporting lately), still there are limits to how Gran can you go? Let’s think about it instead as how Grace can you go?

So I would advise  going coral strongly only on one feature – for instance, if you’re sporting a coral cheek, just do a peachy stain on the lips, and vice versa. There is no need to become a Technicolor Shrimp Cocktail billboard! I love it with a soft, neutral shadow on the eye, something like NARS Cyprus or Estee Lauder Cinnamon single eyeshadow. And natch, neat brows, lovely skin and lots of ladylike lashes (but no clumps please, this is the Riviera).

Serendipitously, I found a video from the new NARS Youtube channel that is the look from the Autumn/Winter 2010 Marc Jacobs show that has, drumroll please, Lilac Eyes and Coral lips together in one look!



Trends: Lilac Eyes

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Dior Spring 2010 Make up - Vlada RoslyakovaSpring isn’t quite officially here, but as far as I’m concerned, its time to look ahead and think about bare legs, short skirts (yessssss! say all the men in London), and most importantly, re-think your makeup bag for the coming season. I call it a bonafide trend as of today, because I saw three ladies on the Tube in one morning wearing varying shades of violet on their eyes. So my top trend? It’s Lilac Eyes.

It’s been awhile since we’ve had (interesting, cough) true beauty trends – for a few seasons it’s been the same old stuff recycled again and again – natural makeup, perfect skin, smoky eyes, red lips – and much as I love those classics, aren’t we all just a little bit keen for something different?

I know I am, which is why I sat up just a little bit straighter when the genius makeup maestro Pat McGrath sent a bevy of beauties down the runway for Dior with gasp! lavender eyelids. Gorgeous, glowing, proper washes of Easter egg purple – it’s part of a bigger seasonal trend for pastels that I predict will be huge this season, as we all search for color to lift us out of (let’s be honest), 2009’s deep funk. The ubiquitous Ms McGrath even did pastel eyebrows yesterday for Balenciaga. Whilst I don’t see us necessarily sporting a pastel brow to herald in the warmer months, a pastel lid we can do. To the paintbox, ladies!

Lilacs I love

NARS Jolie Poupee duo – vibrant lavender and deep jewel toned purple. This is where NARS really comes into its own as a range – they have one of the most rockin’ colour selections anywhere. Colours you didn’t know existed let alone thought that you needed – that is until you headed down to your makeup counter.

NARS D. Gorgeous single eyeshadow  – a shimmery pale lilac. Worth wearing for the name alone!

Bobbi Brown Lavender and Lilac eyshadows, with Bobbi Brown cream shadow in Orchid. Yeeeeeeeaaaah. That’s what I’m talking about.

Becca Lapis Eyetint with Ametrine – this creates a more subtle, shiny wash of color that is so, so gorgeous on. Lapis is apparently a Limited Edition color so if you want it, you’ll have to be quick.

Estee Lauder single eyeshadow in Lilac – beautiful, does what it says in the box, shimmering lavender to make your eyes glow.

How to wear it

Although lavender looks gorgeous on every eye color, pastels can be a little hard to wear if not done correctly. The application part is easy – simply wash your chosen color from the lashline to the crease, with a brush or your finger in the case of a cream.

But in order to make it work, you need a very thin black liner along the lashes – like dental floss! Oh so thin. Liquid or gel eyeliner is more defined than a pencil. And lashes, lots and lots of lashes. You’re going to need a Bad Boy mascara, one that gives you lashes for days – not clumpy, not trampy, but ultra flirty and lots of ‘em. Go nuts. I am currently liking Lancome Hypnose mascara for this uber-sexy effect.

Without eyeliner and mascara you will look like an egg – but not of the Easter variety. Just an albino one. If you feel a bit naked under the eyes you can always softly smudge a nice chocolate pencil. MAC Coffee pencil is a good one.

Go easy on the foundation – heavy, mask-like base will quickly take this into Grannyland (and nobody really wants to go there). Myface foundation is lovely for light, everyday wear that still gives sufficient coverage. And no weird fake tans please – pastels and fake tan will make you look like the bonkers neighbour in There’s Something about Mary, and the Mole is never EVER going to tell you to look like that!

Blush is a must, a soft pink would be good, but nothing too cutesy. I like a pink with a little bit of gold shimmer in it – my latest fave for most skintones is Chantecaille powder blush in Laughter.

Although Ms McGrath went for the full magilla at Dior with a bright red lip, I would possibly choose something a little more understated if you’re just going out for groceries. I like a soft pink lip with a bit of brown (again to keep it out of the kindergarten, and make it pretty without looking like you should be sporting an Easter bonnet). Becca Sheer Tint lip colour in Gisella, Myface Vintage Pink lipstick, and the old classic Estee Lauder Crystal Baby lipstick are all good options. You may not have a Spring in your step yet, but at least it can be Spring on your eyes.

To Blush or Not to Blush – that is the Question

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Oh how I love the Fashion shows! All these amazing looks, pouring out of the runways and backstage areas, and with the internet you can have them all, in your home, that very day. And there is always a bone of beauty contention – this season’s issue is whether to Blush, or Contour?

James Kaliardos at the Rodarte show threw down the gauntlet stating  “I’m not into blush anymore”, and Charlotte Tilbury concurred, saying “I’m not into blush at all this season”. Ding ding! Contoured cheekbones in the Taupe corner (which can look gorge, I have to say, and for the last few seasons it’s been a runway staple.)

In the sweet Blush corner, we have Dick Page who says succinctly “Fuck that”, (no really, Daria Werbowythat’s a direct quote! Loves it) and proved his point with gorgeous glowing cheeks at the Michael Kors and Marc by Marc Jacobs shows.

To my mind? Really any of us who don’t look like this

– well we need blush as Mother Nature sometimes needs just a little help. However if you do look like supermodel Daria Werbowy’s s little sister (or an angel that fell to earth, which ever you prefer) – well you could pretty much have someone run over your face and leave tyre tracks behind and you’d look amazing. Do whatever you want.

For contouring tips, I’ve got a Contour How-To coming up. For blush, my new favourite that’s slipping on everyone’s cheeks, is Bobbi Brown blush in Pale Pink. For you know, those days when you don’t look like a supermodel.

From the Front Lines: Daisy Lowe for Vogue

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Daisy Lowe at a film premiere

Last week the unfailingly gorgeous Daisy Lowe was being shot at London’s Spring Studios for photographer Jacob Sutton, with the best of the upcoming season’s new trends from Vogue’s fashion director, Kate Phelan.

Kay Montano was doing her makeup, a sexy rock n’ roll look that’s perfect for Daisy’s modern It girl style. She used Chanel Vitalumiere foundation in 20 Clair on her skin, Myface black eyeliner and Bobbi Brown Black Ink gel eyeliner for smudgy, sexy eyes, and Nude lipbalm and Chanel Rouge Coco lipstick in Beige Felin to finish off a modern bombshell. Hairdresser James Pecis used Bumble & Bumble Surf Spray to get the perfect rough texture on the hair. And voila! Who knew Spring was around the corner?

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