The Makeup Mole

Makeup by Kay Montano - Photographer: Miles Aldridge

Claudia Schiffer is back in a big way and sometimes it feels like it’s 1995 all over again! I’m having a moment with the supermodels right now (more on that later) and I am loving seeing those gorgeous glamazons back on billboards, red carpets and magazine covers.

Today we have a very special treat as lovely London-based makeup artist Kay Montano has kindly given me a breakdown of this month’s German Vogue cover that she recently shot with Claudia Schiffer and Miles Aldridge. Complete with this season’s must-have accessory (if the latest Chanel Haute Couture show is anything to go by) a lace net on the eyes, Claudia has the most body-slammin’ red lip I’ve seen in ages. This is courtesy of the immaculate new Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet lipstick coming out later this year (and which already has me salivating).

Here’s what Kay used to get Claudia cover-ready:

Skincare

• Jurlique Soothing Day Care Lotion

Foundation

• MyFace MyMix foundation in F2

 Concealer

• MyFace MyCover concealer in F2

Powder

• Jurlique Rose powder

Blush

• MyFace blush in Holiday

Eyes

• Chanel Prelude quad (new for Autumn/Winter)
• Chanel Sublime de Chanel mascara in Noir

Lips

• Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet Luminous lipcolour in La Fascinante (available in the UK on the 30^th September 2011).

Illusions d’Ombres de Chanel

Where do I even start with the new Autumn/Winter collection? Well should I start with the fact that every major makeup artist that I’ve spoken to in the last month on Twitter or email is in raptures? Kay Montano, Romy Soleimani, Florrie White, Benjamin Puckey – from London to New York they’re all raving about it, using it on shoots and on the red carpet. I’ve been using it on shoots and I’m in love with the colours and the textures.

Let me break it down for you – it’s the best Chanel collection yet. They have these new crème eyehsdaows called Illusion d’Ombre that are like metallic whipped mousses, and it’s a texture I’ve never used before. On the eye they look like foil, giving the most gorgeous metallic sheen. I had (serendipitously) a metallic beauty shoot recently and these gorgeous shadows just came into their own. The colour selection is beautiful as well:

Fantasme – silvery white loveliness
Emerveille – the ultimate peachy shimmer
Illusoire – taupe-plum perfection
Epatant – divine khaki silver (and what Peter Phillips used on the last Ready to Wear Chanel show).
Mirifique – perfect midnight blue black
Ebloui – deep burgundy gorgeousness

Mirifique was used in last week’s Chanel couture show to create the most amazing shiny, mysterious smoky eye (haute couture black lace burglar’s net optional).

The nailpolishes are incredible as well as they are extraordinary metallic duochromes, my favourite of which is Peridot. I used this on the same metallic beauty shoot and it’s like an Egyptian scarab, all gold and green, depending on where the light hits it. These are true stand-out nails! They are easy to apply (although I do like two coats), and I also loved the Quartz shade (not dissimilar to Bacterium from Illamasqua’s Art of Darkness collection). The inky silvery shade Graphite I’m saving for a special evening out next week.

There is a gorgeous new neutrals eyeshadow quad called Prelude, which is difficult to describe in that it’s plum matte black but not TOO purple, and two taupes that are almost khaki-toned, along with a buttery cream colour. It is completely different to all the other Chanel quads I own, so even though it’s perfect for a smoky eye, it’s not the same old greys and deep browns, which is refreshing.

The newest addition to their stable of eyeliners is Khaki Platine, which (as its name suggests), is a pale, shimmering khaki green, and which I know makeup artist Florrie White in London has recently used on Rosie Huntngton-Whiteley for the red carpet.

And last, but by no means least, is the new Rouge Coco lipstick in Etole, which is a beautiful lip shade – the exact colour of your lips (if your lips were perfect, which my lips sadly aren’t). Which is why it’s currently living in my handbag. Makeup artist Mary Greenwell used it on Uma Thurman at Cannes recently. There’s also a new rose blusher called Rose Ecrin which I haven’t tried yet – but given my track record with their blushes, as in the word ADDICTED springs to mind, I know I’ll be checking it out soon.

Just when I think Chanel have reached the apotheosis of makeup heaven there is a new collection, and Peter Phillips has dialed it up a notch again. The Autumn/Winter collection is about as close to makeup nirvana as it’s possible to get.

The Chanel Autumn/Winter 2011 Illusions d’Ombres de Chanel will be on-counter in Australia from the 31st of July.

www.chanel.com

Makeup by Kay Montano

I nearly passed out when I saw this incredible pic of Gwyneth Paltrow for Vanity Fair’s  jewellery calendar, out this week. Gwyneth has always been a very patrician beauty, but here she looks smouldering and just damn sexy in nothing but a pair of tights and some – yes, you guessed it, gorgeous jewellery. Kay Montano was the makeup artist responsible for Gwyneth’s walk on the bombshell side, and in a Makeup Mole exclusive, here’s what she used:

Skincare

• Liz Earle Superskin moisturiser

Foundation

• MyFace MyMix foundation in F2

Concealer

• Clinique Airbrush
• Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage in SC-3

Powder

• Jurlique Rose Powder on T-zone

Blush

• Chanel Rose Temptation blush

Eyes

• MyFace Black Eyeliner
• Chanel Eyeshadow Quad in Prelude (from the upcoming Autumn collection)
• Chanel Inimitable mascara in Noir
• Bobbi Brown Gel Eyeliner in Black Ink

Lips

• Bobbi Brown Blush lipliner
• Jurlique Love Balm mixed with MyFace Vintage Pink lipstick

Wine lips aren’t just for winter

For ages I’ve been wanting to write a post about wine coloured lipsticks as they’ve been having a moment in my kit the last few months, but recently I’ve been crushing on other colours too – pinks and raspberries and fuchsias.

So I thought – let’s cover them all off in one big sangria drenched lip festival!

Wine Lips

From deep claret to almost black bordeauxs, and into chocolates and blackberries, I love a deep, opulent rich lip.

Favourite lipsticks for this are:

• MAC Lipmixes – to mix up your favourite shade
• Illamasqua Growl and Poison
• NARS Velvet Matte Pencils in Damned and Cruella
• NARS Lipstick in Scarlet Empress
• YSL Rouge Pur Couture in 8
• Estee Lauder Pure Colour in Plum Couture

Pinks and Sangrias

A deep, bold claret lip is not always appropriate, let’s be real. Sometimes one wants a stain, or more of a juicier version. Lighter-bodied lipsticks include:

• MyFace Strawberry Fields and Cherry Bomb
• Chanel Ballet Russes
• Clinique Black Honey (this has iconic status in Lip Lovers’ World)
• MAC Plumful

Fuchsia

This is my current hot colour preference for a statement lip – nothing says you got it goin’ on like a hot fuchsia. My current go-tos are:

• Illamasqua Atomic
• Tom Ford Perfect Pink
• NARS Schiap

If you want to go for a glossy version of the above, a clear gloss would suffice (I’m a MAC lipglass in Clear fan myself) or you could punch up a wine lip with the following glosses:

• MyFace Lip Pop Gloss in Crazy in Love
• Bobbi Brown Rich Colour Lip Gloss in Pink Raspberry
• NARS Hot Wired or Easy Lover for pinks
• NARS Rose Birman for Wine

When wearing a strong lip, you can either dab the lipstick on with your fingers for a casual take on the look, or layer on at least two coats using a good lipbrush (I like the Shu Uemura Lip Brush). If you find you have an unsteady hand, a matching lipliner can be useful for giving a super precise, finished look.

Wow, where do I start with this one? It’s been burning a hole in my kit ever since I got to try it a little while ago – in a word, it’s gorgeous. Chanel’s Creative Director, Peter Phillips, never ceases to amaze me, as he just gets it right, collection after collection. Perfectly what you want to wear when the weather gets warmer, but never clichéd. Check out the new ad below:

First off, the eyesahdow Quad in Lilium. I have blogged about my love for Chanel Eyeshadow quads before and still really, I can’t get enough of them. This one has a deep, hunter green, a citrus-y lime, a pale pink and a gorgeous grey taupe which for all those taupe lovers out there is quite beautiful as it’s shot through with a pink and green duochrome. Lilium’s closest Chanel counterparts would be Garden Party (although the colours on that are much more wintry), and Nymphaea, an oldie but a goodie.

One of the things that people complain about with Chanel quads is their pigment pay-off, which I have to confess is not as strong as other brands on the market (like Illamasqua or MAC), but it is definitely improving. I compared the new Lagons eyeshadow quad (which is DIVINE, by the way), with Bleu Celestes which it is not dissimilar too colour-wise, and the pay-off of Lagons is much better and the colours more vibrant. I love those quads for the colours, and the way they go together, as they’re just unlike anything else and they always have exactly the right amount of shimmer. (Please note I am speaking about the European quads, not the US ones as they are a completely different formulation).

So both Lilum and Lagons have made it into my kit – not that Bleu Celestes has gone anywhere, that’s still a favourite. When will I stop with the Chanel Eyeshadow quads? Someone needs to organize a makeup intervention!

The new bronzer, Soleil Tan de Chanel in Bronze Rose, is a gradated bronzer with a strip of pink at the end that provides a beautiful wash of colour. It’s not the deepest darkest bronzer around, so those with deeper complexions should definitely try before they buy. It also comes in a coral version, Bronze Corail, which also looks beautiful. I am loving the soft tan-pink flush that Bronze Rose gives.

The bright yellow nail polish, Mimosa, I wasn’t sure if I could get into but three coats of this sunshine in a bottle has made my feet feel like – well like this:

(Although not the bit about dancing in a squat, or her makeup, which needs to be locked in a vault labelled “Never to Be Released”, but the song, yes.) Mimosa has just enough pearl in it to lift the yellow and make it wearable since matte yellows can be quite hard to wear.

Probably my favourite of the collection though has to be the Stylo Yeux Waterproof in Rose Platine. It’s a shimmering icy pink-y taupe that isn’t frosty or nasty, but has just the right amount of light reflection to give your gaze that little extra something – the one that says “I am gorgeous” but you can’t tell why. Not “Hi! I have a strip of pearlescent eye highlighter going on! I look like a disco ball!”

Like all Chanel collections this one just makes you feel like you should be on a yacht somewhere, cruising past Cap Ferrat or St Tropez on the way to some fancy party, and quite frankly that’s how you want to feel after dropping serious money at a makeup counter. Well I do, anyway. On this, Chanel ALWAYS delivers.

www.chanel.com
The Chanel Summer Collection is currently on-counter in the UK, and will be available in Australia from the 29th May.

Makeup by Kay Montano

Thandie Newton (this month’s UK Instyle cover girl) looked even more breathtaking than usual at last week’s Met Ball. Seriously, does the woman ever age? Wearing a black lace bespoke Stella Macartney gown she had her makeup done by her long-time makeup artist, Kay Montano. Here’s what Kay used:

Foundation: Olay Touch of Foundation

Powder: Illamasqua Loose Powder in LP235

Blush: MyFace Cosmetics blush in A Her Name is Rio

Eyes

• MyFace EyeTouch Eyeshadow trio in Midnight Hour
• MyFace Hi-Def Pencil in Black
• Chanel Inimitable Obscure mascara in Black
• Chanel Ecriture de Chanel black liner

Lips: MyFace Lip Pop gloss in 136